George Stroumboulopoulos meets with Prime Minister Mark Carney to talk Canadian stories and cultural sovereignty

Sit-down part of the "Stories That MADE Us" cross-country road trip celebrating the power of Canadian storytelling, ahead of national launch this October 

EDMONTON, AB, Sept. 12, 2025 /CNW/ - Prime Minister Mark Carney sat down with George Stroumboulopoulos for a candid conversation about the strength of Canada's cultural sovereignty, the Canadian films and tv shows that played a role in the PM's life, and why Canadian stories matter more than ever. The exchange was part of the MADE | NOUS cross-country "Stories That MADE Us" road trip, a campaign celebrating the power of Canadian storytelling on screen. 

George Stroumboulopoulos meets with Prime Minister Mark Carney to talk Canadian stories and cultural sovereignty

For the campaign, Strombo travelled by car, boat, and plane across six provinces and one territory, meeting people in small towns and big cities to hear about the Canadian stories they love. The stories that are uniquely ours—our narrative, our identity, our culture. The road trip concluded at the opening night of the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), setting the stage for a full national campaign and content series launch in October.  

Campaign highlights 

• 27 in-depth conversations with Canadians across the country, including actor and producer Ryan Reynolds, astronaut Chris Hadfield, singer-songwriter Jessie Reyez, actress Emily Hampshire (Schitt's Creek), actor Paul Sun-Hyung Lee (Kim's Convenience), actor Jay Baruchel (Goon), actress Tantoo Cardinal (North of 60), actress Tonya Williams (The Young and the Restless veteran and founder/executive director of the Reelworld Screen Institute), filmmaker Atom Egoyan (The Sweet Hereafter), musician Rob Baker (The Tragically Hip), and NHL player Sam Reinhart (Florida Panthers, Stanley Cup winner); the French campaign includes TV host Pierre-Yves Lord, Acadian folk trio Les Hay Babies, author Kim Thúy (Ru, Em), and director Chloé Robichaud (Deux femmes en or)
• 100+ vox pops recorded on the road
• 14 cities across six provinces and one territory (BC, AB, ON, QC, NB, PE, NU)
• 1,700+ comments on George's first Instagram post
• 420,000+ views on MADE Instagram collabs with George—a 500% increase—plus a 180% increase in engagement
• And more to come …

"There is not just one Canadian identity—and it's the multitudes that make this culture so interesting and valuable. I think it's important to have these conversations and explore the impact these stories, shows, and films have had on us. If we all dig deep in our collective memories, we can see just how some of the television and film in this country has permeated our cultural DNA. I wanted to do this, not as an experience in nostalgia, but to learn from and make us better going forward."
—George Stroumboulopoulos   

Popular comedian Rosalie Vaillancourt led the French-language campaign for the NOUS brand, highlighting the diversity of voices and cultures she found on her own road trip around Quebec and the Maritimes, including stops at the Quebec City Film Festival and the Gémeaux Awards. 

Created in partnership between the Canada Media Fund, which marks its 15th anniversary this year, and Telefilm Canada, the MADE | NOUS initiative has been spotlighting Canada's world-class talent in film, television, gaming, and digital entertainment since 2019. Its mission is to redefine how Canadian content is perceived both at home and around the world. 

MEDIA KIT 

• Clip from George and the PM's conversation (2:12); two Stories That MADE Us 16:9 trailers for b-roll (with EN captions and without; MP4 and MOV); publicity JPG stills (vertical and horizontal)
• https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1O0TBfgJetgZtnkMr_-rEKc3EZ84o6Nq2?usp=sharing

SOURCE MADE | NOUS

Media contact: Yulia Balinova, FleishmanHillard, [email protected]