Valerie Creighton is a significant figure in Canadian media, serving as the President and CEO of the Canada Media Fund (CMF), a public-private initiative in Canada that supports the production of TV, digital media, film, and other content, having invested around $3 billion in the last decade. She has received multiple accolades, including the Order of Canada and recognition as one of Hollywood Reporter’s 20 Most Powerful Women in Global Television.

Raised in Saskatchewan, Creighton learned from an early age to rely on herself. She cites when her mother was going through a difficult divorce when she was three or four years old and sitting on her brother’s bike thinking that she could not rely on the adults around her to keep her safe.

Creighton sees herself as a “maverick” or “black sheep” as she is more interested in solving problems head on rather than a have a typical office job; even when she was offered her current position, she dejected the standard 9-to-5 regime saying, “Look, if you want somebody in the office from 9 to 5, please don’t hire me. We’ll both be disappointed.”

Creighton prioritizes “growth and inclusion” as she believes in giving unrecognized people a platform as she thinks that people are more receptive to stories told by those without access. “It’s because often they’re authentic, and they’re unapologetic and they’re telling those stories[...] from a really authentic and lived perspective”, says Creighton.

She rejects the term “equity” or “equity deserving” because she sees it as an issue of human rights and that being more inclusive helps people understand these voices more. Creighton cites Canadian media such as Heated Rivalry and North of North gaining global recognition.

Creighton doesn’t believe in sustainability for the creative industry as CMF relies on cable subscriptions from large telecom companies, which are declining due to the rise of streaming services. This has made CMF lose around $100 million over the past decade and the number of applicants to CMF has doubled in the last five years, creating a difficult financial gap to bridge.

To Creighton, a way that industry can survive is to have the streaming platforms fund CMF and thinks that is what the CRTC legislation is heading towards.

Creighton initially thought that being the boss was about control. She now has learned that leadership is really about letting go. While you must build trust first, true leadership success allows the people you care about and work with to do their jobs.

Look, if you want somebody in the office from 9 to 5, please don’t hire me. We’ll both be disappointed.

― Valerie Creighton