Surrey Board of Trade CEO Anita Huberman has been appointed to the National Film Board.
Huberman’s name was put forward by Federal Minister of Canadian Heritage James Moore, who is also the Conservative MP for Port Moody-Coquitlam-Port Coquitlam.
Huberman was contacted because of her and the Surrey Board of Trade’s work in trying to develop the film industry regionally and to provide more outreach to multicultural and international business communities locally and internationally.
She told The Leader Tuesday she’s looking forward to the challenge.
“There’s a lot of training, a huge learning curve and orientation that I have to go through,” she said. “Certainly to make connections, the ability to put Surrey on the map, to bring in industry, that was the whole point of it all.”
She said she’ll be remaining on as CEO of the board, but may have to hive off some responsibilities, depending on her workload.
It’s been a fairly recent mandate of the board of trade to bring in the film industry wherever possible, she said.
“This we hope will enhance it.”
As to whether this signals federal ambitions for her politically, Huberman said she hasn’t given that much thought.
“I don’t really think that’s in the cards for me at this point,” Huberman said. She said she hasn’t been asked to run politically either.
Her focus, she said, will be on the job in front of her.
The National Film Board produces, distributes and promotes films designed to interpret Canada to Canadians and to other nations; to engage in research in film activity and make the results available; to advise the Governor in Council in connection with film activities.
Among her many responsibilities, Huberman will participate in the selection of a government film commissioner, provide direction and counsel to management, approve the annual budget of the NFB, and oversee the stewardship of the organization’s assets and liabilities.
She has been appointed for a three-year term.
Her orientation begins in September, in Montreal, and then the first meeting is in November.
twitter: @diakiw
