
Tom Jackson, 2005
'Tom Jackson',
OC, (
October 27,
1948), is a popular
Canadian Métis actor and
musician.
Jackson was born to Rose, a
Cree and Marshall an
Englishman on the
One Arrow Reserve near
Batoche, Saskatchewan.
Jackson moved with his family to Namao,
Alberta at age seven. He voluntarily left his home and school at age 15, and lived on the streets of
Winnipeg, Manitoba for several years.
As an actor he has starred in
TV shows such as ''
North of 60'' and ''
Shining Time Station'', and made a guest appearance on ''. His films include ''
The Diviners''. He has also released several albums of country and folk music.
A well-known
philanthropist, Jackson created an annual series of
Christmas concerts called the
Huron Carole. Featuring Jackson and numerous other Canadian singers and performers, the Huron Carole troupe travels across the country each year, raising money for the Canadian Association of Food Banks. An album of Christmas songs recorded to tie-in with the tour is an annual best seller in Canada. After 17 years, Jackson retired the Huron Carole and in its place launched ''Singing for Supper'', a cross-Canada tour that plays smaller community venues raising money and gifts of food, during the 2005 Christmas season.
In the spring of 1997 Jackson's home town was bracing for "the flood of the century" that had already put towns south of the US/Canada border under water. Jackson was instrumental in organizing flood relief concerts across the nation (Calgary, Winnipeg)
He also starred in ''
Grizzly Falls'', in
1999. His film career remains active with his appearance in the horror/thriller, ''
Skinwalkers'', scheduled for early 2007 release.
Jackson has been honoured several times for his life's work. Most notably in
2000 he was made an Officer of the
Order of Canada and now sits on the
Order of Canada Advisory Council. He has been nominated for
Juno Awards and
Gemini Awards. He has also received honours from several Canadian universities, including honorary degrees from the
University of Calgary,
Trent University and the
University of Lethbridge. He also received the Humanitarian Award at the
2007 Juno Awards due to his charitable efforts.
External links
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IMDB entry
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Official website
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Unofficial fansite
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NorthernStars: Tom Jackson profile/filmography