AFM Canada History and CFM
In 1897 the AFM (American Federation of Musicians) invited the Montreal Musicians' Protective Union and the Toronto Orchestral Association to affiliate. Montreal accepted immediately and was designated as Local 62 (although it only survived a few years and was rechartered as Local 406 in 1905). Toronto joined in 1901.
By 1900 the AFM changed its name to the American Federation of Musicians of the United States and Canada and was actively organizing on both sides of the border.
In 1937 a position was created to provide an initial level of Canadian representation, when Walter Murdoch was elected International Executive Officer for Canada. However, as the music industry changed, becoming less a local business and more a national and international industry, the union faced two challenges: first, the laws that govern union activities in each country are fundamentally different in certain areas, second, the Canadian members were seeking ways to represent and preserve their own identity.
With the election of J. Alan Wood in 1965, the Canadian leadership role evolved into the office of "AFM Vice President from Canada". In 1979, after nearly 75 years of part-time representation, the AFM Convention designated that the Vice President from Canada would become a full-time officer supervising a full-time Canadian Office. The Canadian office remained under the leadership of J. Alan Wood until the election of Ray Petch in 1991, followed by David Jandrisch in 1997, Bobby Herriot in 2003 and Bill Skolnik in 2007. Upon the unpresented resignation of Skolnik in 2012, Alan Willaert was appointed and subsequently elected into office where he served until his passing in 2024. During the AFM Convention in 2023, the Convention Delegates voted favorably on a Resolution to add the title Director of Canadian Affairs to the AFM Vice President from Canada position.
In May of 2024, former Canadian International Representative, Allistair Elliott, was appointed to the position of AFM Vice President from Canada/Director of Canadian Affairs.
