Actress and social activist Shirley Douglas came out swinging about the state of the Canadian movie industry on Thursday after being honoured on two fronts.

Douglas is one of Canada's best-known actors and activists, and daughter of former federal NDP leader Tommy Douglas. The Saskatchewan-born actor received a lifetime achievement award from ACTRA and an honourary doctor of fine arts degree from the University of Regina in Toronto on Thursday.

After expressing her gratitude for the awards, she used the opportunity to vent her frustration over working in an industry that she said doesn't value its actors.

"Sometimes I get so tired thinking of Canadian producers," she said, prompting laughter from the audience at the Ted Rogers School of Management at Ryerson University.

"They forgot to raise the money; they're trying to raise more; they can't find a distributor that believes in publicizing a movie. 'And you should be thrilled Shirley, at the opportunity to work with us.' Well I'm not thrilled and I don't know what to do with them, " she said, urging those in the industry to speak out.

Douglas took particular issue with CBC Television's ads.

"I don't know the name of the woman in [Being] Erica.I see that horse and that blonde-haired woman and I haven't a clue who they are," she said, in reference to the CBC series Heartland.

"If you are willing to pay for the ad, trust me, it costs nothing more to put the names on the blue sky part that's totally empty," she said.

Douglas has played feminist Nellie McClung, and May Bailey in the television series Wind at My Back. She has also performed on stage with her son Kiefer Sutherland in The Glass Menagerie.

In addition to her numerous acting credits, Douglas was involved in the American civil rights movement and the campaign against the Vietnam war after moving to Los Angeles with her then husband, actor Donald Sutherland.