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In Hollywood, there's no shortage of actors willing to spend their social capital on good causes worth fighting for. It's a fine tradition, and the one who more or less started it in this country is Shirley Douglas.
And you could say she's come by it honestly. A legend on stage and screen, Shirley is the daughter of Tommy Douglas, the first leader of the federal NDP and the father of Medicare.
As a child, Shirley joined her father on the campaign trail, listening and learning as he challenged Canadians to make the country a better place for everyone.
As an adult, Shirley, who was married to fellow Canadian Donald Sutherland, and is Moms to Keifer, campaigned against the Vietnam War for the civil rights movement, and was arrested - and later acquitted - for her support of the Black Panthers.
Along the way she's created some indelible roles, like Canadian suffragette Nellie McClung and American Secretary of State Madeleine Albright.
Now, Shirley's being honoured for all her great work with ACTRA Toronto's 2013 Award of Excellence.
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