From a media release:

Five New Comedy Projects Join Bell Media’s Original Development Slate

• New comedies in development include projects from Mark McKinney, Rob Sheridan, Jared Keeso, Paul Mather, and llana Frank
• Bell Media working with several seasoned production companies including Breakthrough Entertainment, Lone Eagle Entertainment, Force Four Entertainment, Amaze Film + Television, New Metric Media, Six Eleven Media, Entertainment One, Vérité Films, Just For Laughs, Farpoint Films, Wild West Productions, Foundry Films, and Sphere Media
• 71 new original Bell Media projects currently in development, including 20 comedies

 Bell Media announced today from the Canadian International Television Festival the addition of five new comedy projects to its original development slate, led by seasoned writers and producers Mark McKinney (LESS THAN KIND, KIDS IN THE HALL), Rob Sheridan (NEXT CALLER, 18 TO LIFE, LITTLE MOSQUE ON THE PRAIRIE), Jared Keeso (19-2), Paul Mather (CORNER GAS, DAN FOR MAYOR, THE MICHAEL J. FOX SHOW), and Ilana Frank (SAVING HOPE, ROOKIE BLUE). The new projects join a robust slate of at least 15 other original Bell Media comedies already in development for potential new pilots and/or series. Drama and Factual development projects will be announced at a later date.

The five new comedies are (working titles):

WE’RE ADULTS NOW
From comedic genius Mark McKinney, a half-hour scripted series about young 20-somethings.
Attached:
Mark McKinney
Breakthrough Entertainment (Ira Levy and Diane Boehme, LESS THAN KIND)

THE TEAM
A multi-cam sitcom about a rag tag group of friends.
Attached:
Rob Sheridan

LETTERKENNY
A comedy series based on the YouTube sensation LETTERKENNY PROBLEMS.
Attached:
Jared Keeso
New Metric Media (Mark Montefiore and Patrick O’Sullivan), Ben Nemtin (THE BURIED LIFE)

THE UNTITLED PAUL MATHER PROJECT
A scripted workplace comedy about lifelong frenemies.
Attached
Paul Mather

METHOD
A comedy series loosely based on a BravoFACT short of the same name.
Attached
ICF Films (Ilana Frank), Peter Mooney (ROOKIE BLUE), Gregory Smith (ROOKIE BLUE), and David Wellington, Peter Wellington, and Sonia Hosko (SAVING HOPE, ROOKIE BLUE)

The five new comedies join Bell Media’s current development slate featuring 15 other projects (working titles):

AGAINST THE LAW
An unscripted half-hour courtroom format.
Attached:
Jeremy Hotz
Lone Eagle Entertainment (Rachel Horvath, YOU GOTTA EAT HERE)

BESTIES
An ensemble comedy about family and friendship.
Attached:
Force Four Entertainment (Rob Hardy and John Ritchie, SEED)
James Phillips (LAST RIDE)
.
BREAKING
A workplace comedy set in the world of new media.
Attached:
Amaze Film + Television’s Michael Souther and Teza Lawrence (CALL ME FITZ)
Author Zoe Whittall (Bottle Rocket Hearts)

CHASING MANHOOD
A scripted ensemble comedy inspired by Darrin Rose’s stand-up material.
Attached:
Darrin Rose

DIVORCE PARTY
A scripted comedy about three women experiencing life after divorce.
Attached:
New Metric Media (Mark Montefiore and Patrick O’Sullivan)
Jessie Gabe (BEING ERICA, MR. D)
Linsey Stewart (BEING ERICA)

FRIDAY
An edgy, urban ensemble comedy.
Attached:
Six Eleven Media’s Charles Bishop
Carolyn Taylor (CORNER GAS)

GOOD BEHAVIOUR
A scripted half-hour comedy about parenthood.
Attached:
Entertainment One’s Mackenzie Lush and Rachel Fulford
Allana Harkin (The Atomic Fireballs)
Jennifer Whalen (INSECURITY)

THE LAINEY GOSSIP PROJECT
A half-hour dramedy inspired by LaineyGossip.com.
Attached:
Amaze Film + Television’s Michael Souther and Teza Lawrence (CALL ME FITZ)
Elaine Lui (THE SOCIAL, ETALK)

MATT & JEFF
A half-hour bromance comedy.
Attached:
Vérité Films’ Virginia Thompson (CORNER GAS)
Mike McPhaden (SEED, INSECURITY)

THE ANGELO SHOW
A multi-cam sitcom inspired by the comedy of Angelo Tsarouchas (SULLIVAN & SON, MAD MEN).
Attached:
Wild West Productions’ Vince Vaughn (SULLIVAN & SON), Howard Busgang, and Tom Nursall

UNGROWN UP
A scripted half-hour hybrid comedy about family.
Attached:
Just For Laughs’ Evi Regev (JUST FOR LAUGHS: ALL ACCESS)
Adam Brodie (FUNNY AS HELL, SCARE TACTICS)
David Derewlany (FREAK ENCOUNTERS, THE JON DORE TELEVISION SHOW)

THE UNTITLED VERA SANTAMARIA PROJECT
A blind pilot deal with acclaimed writer/producer Vera Santamaria (COMMUNITY).
Attached:
Vera Santamaria

THE VIRGIN CHRONICLES
A scripted, half-hour, “fish-out-of-water” comedy.
Attached:
Mark Sawers (ALIENATED)

WHO NEEDS ENEMIES
A scripted, half-hour relationship comedy.
Attached:
Farpoint Films’ Kyle Bornais (HOUSE PARTY)
Collin Friesen (THE BIG WHITE)

WITH OR WITHOUT YOU
A female-centric scripted comedy about friendship.
Attached:
Sphere Media’s Carolyn Newman(19-2)
Barbara Haynes (SPUN OUT)

From a media release:

Made in Canada 15th Anniversary Cast Reunion at the Inaugural Canadian International Television Festival

• Rick Mercer, Peter Keleghan, Leah Pinsent, Dan Lett, Jackie Torrens and Executive Producer Gerald Lunz all Confirmed to Attend
• Saturday, November 16 at 6:00 p.m. at TIFF Bell Lightbox
• Tickets Now Available, Visit www.CITF13.tv for More Information & Ticket Details
• Follow CITF @CITF13

The hilarious and satirical Made in Canada series celebrates 15 years and have chosen CITF to celebrate its anniversary. Co-creator and star Rick Mercer, Peter Keleghan, Leah Pinsent, Dan Lett, Jackie Torrens along with Executive Producer Gerald Lunz, director Henry Sarwer-Foner, and series writers Edward Riche and Mark Farrell have all confirmed their attendance. Audiences will be treated to a screening and cast will be on-hand afterwards for a Q&A on Saturday, November 16 at 6:00 p.m.

George Anthony, CBC Television remarked: “It was a dream show for the network, not only because it was a critical success but also because it was a wildly entertaining showcase for Canadian guest stars. And the industry it lampooned was the first to praise it. The accolades from peers were overwhelming. Suddenly we were up for awards from the Writers’ Guild, the Directors’ Guild, the Canadian Comedy Awards. When the nominations for the 2002 Geminis were announced, Made In Canada led all other programs with 14 nominations, which I believe was the first and only time that a sitcom earned more nominations than any of the big dramatic series like DaVinci’s Inquest or the really big mini-series like Trudeau. Four of the nominations for Best Director in a Comedy Series or Program had gone to Made In Canada, and in an even more historic first, the series had won all five nominations for Best Writing in a Comedy or Variety Program or Series. Between the time we started the series and the time we finished, Made In Canada had earned more than three dozen Gemini nominations and taken home 10 Gemini statuettes.”

Made in Canada began its five season run on the CBC in 2008. A satire of film and television production, Made in Canada revolves around Pyramid Productions, a viper’s nest of creative incompetence, savage greed and hysterical backbiting. Alan Roy (Peter Keleghan), the head of the company, follows whatever is trendy in the production world, whether it be owning his own cable channel or having a designer office. His decisions are usually idiotic and occasionally impossible to fulfill and constantly lead to extra work for his staff; ‘Richard Strong’ (Rick Mercer), the ambitiously Machiavellian producer, the dim witted producer ‘Victor Sela’ (Dan Lett), cunning production accountant ‘Veronica Miller’ (Leah Pinsent) and Wanda Mattice (Jackie Torrens), the office secretary who shrewdly uses her job to attain more power than her role officially holds. Henry Sarwer-Foner directed 22 episodes over the five seasons including the pilot episode.

From a media release:

Donald Sutherland All Aboard as Producer, Screenwriter and Star of Pirate’s Passage!

Donald Sutherland’s production company, Martin’s River Ink, Inc., announces start of production of a new, animated movie, Pirate’s Passage, with animation work by PIP Animation Services Inc. in Ottawa. Upon completion it will air on CBC Television.

“Pirate’s Passage is a thrillingly exhilarating adventure, a glorious coming-of-age-story, rich in both imagination and history, in perception and truth,” said producer, screenwriter and star Donald Sutherland. “I couldn’t put the book down. It resonated with the clearest image of the man inside every boy’s being that I could imagine. It was life writ true and I knew Jim and Captain Johnson’s marvelous journey had to be seen on screen.”

Pirate’s Passage is based on William Gilkerson’s critically acclaimed novel, which won Canada’s Governor General’s Award for Children’s Literature in 2006. Hollywood icon Donald Sutherland (Crossing Lines, The Hunger Games, Pride & Prejudice) and his partner and co-writer, Brad Peyton (Journey 2: The Mysterious Island, Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore), will produce the film. Sutherland will voice the lead character, Captain Johnson. Peyton will co-direct alongside Mike Barth of PIP Animation.

Cast alongside Sutherland is Gage Munroe (The Immortals, One Week), as the young hero Jim Hawkins; Carrie-Anne Moss (The Matrix, Memento) as his hard-luck mother Kerstin Hawkins; Kim Coates (Black Hawk Down, Sons of Anarchy) as ruthless local businessman; Roy Moehner; Rossif Sutherland (King, Reign) as his bullying son Klaus Moehner; Colm Feore (The Borgias, 24) as Jim’s Uncle Robin; Megan Follows (Reign, Anne of Green Gables) as Meg, the Hawkins’ employee and overprotective friend; veteran Canadian actors Paul Gross and Gordon Pinsent as, respectively, the pirate Calico Jack and local barber Harry Freelove; and Terry Haig (The Aviator) as Jim’s teacher Mr. Herkes.

Voice work will take place in Toronto and at POP Sound in Santa Monica, CA.

Pirate’s Passage is set in 1952 in Grey Rocks, Nova Scotia, a centuries old town on the south shore that was famous 250 years ago as a favoured port of pirates. The chief protagonist is 12-year-old Jim, a lad who suffers daily the death of his father and the schoolyard bullying of Roy Moehner’s son Todd, but carries on, buoyed by an optimistic imagination fueled with a vivid sense of adventure. His widowed mother is struggling to keep their livelihood — the Admiral Anson Inn — from falling into the hands of Moehner. It is an ongoing battle until the sudden arrival of Captain Johnson, whose small sailboat has been thrown off course by a storm, changes the family’s life. The Captain rents a room at the Inn and with cash up front, and the mother’s financial burden is temporarily eased. The Captain, under the distrustful eye of Meg, the Inn’s housekeeper, quickly inserts himself as a mentor and friend to Jim, helping him with his essay for school on Pirates and, while he’s at it, giving him extraordinary lessons in self-reliance and determination until Jim turns the tables, developing a liberating self-assurance all his own that so deeply touches the Captain that he allows Jim to see evidence that the Captain may be more than meets the eye. Is Captain Johnson the same Charles Johnson who was a pirate there two hundred years ago? What does he mean when he talks about the “Pirates” of today? The lad goes with him on a literal journey into the past to find out.

The young man who comes back from that trip has well learned the Captain’s mantra: ‘listen, think, respond!’ Listen Think Respond informs his brain, his heart, his nerves and his muscles. He sets his sails, he determines his ship, he is now able to deal with every storm he and his family will encounter. How he came to discover the course he sets for his life is the story of Pirate’s Passage.

The Governor General’s Award jury commended Pirate’s Passage for taking “a maverick approach to history,” calling it “a challenging children’s novel with a dangerous edge” and “a work of genius, a benchmark in Canadian Literature.”

From Etan Vlessing of The Hollywood Reporter:

Don Carmody Television Hires ‘Stargate’s’ Carl Binder for ‘Echoes’ Pilot
Echoes is set in the year 2021 and follows the journey of Sonya, a young woman trying to survive after two warring extra-terrestrial species bring their intergalactic battle to Earth. The sci-fi series is being shopped this week to international buyers at MIPCOM and is understood to already be parked for development with a Canadian broadcaster. Continue reading.