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Rick Mercer films episode in Oakville,smashes carProducerBy Grant CameronSPECIAL TO THE BEAVERhopes toCanadian funnyman and TV personality RicksupportMercer swooped into Oakville on Jan. 12 to filman episode for his show The Mercer Report.The 41-year-old Newfoundlander with hisCanadiantrademark grin and satirical sense of humour got some serious seat time on a Manitowocfilm industry85-ton lattice boom crawler crane at a trainingcampus of Local 793 of the International UnionContinued from page 24of Operating Engineers on Speers Road.I work in every time zone. ItsThe show is scheduled to air Jan. 25 on CBC.awful. I work at 3 a.m., 5 a.m., 9Mercer perhaps best known for hisp.m. because youre working Parishumorous rants about politics was on histime, London time and youregame during the day-long filming session.working New York time or LAHe toured the unions head office withSUBMITTED PHOTOStime, he said.Local 793 business manager Mike GallagherTHE MERCER DAMAGE:He came,he filmed and heThey hope to grow the businessand, under the watchful eye of certifieddestroyed.Rick Mercer spent some time with the local operatingand expand it much further overinstructors, was put through the paces on theengineers and had some fun in the process of filming an episode.the next five years.crawler crane.Our whole idea is that we wantIn one staged exercise, Mercer demolished2010-2011 Spread the Net challenge, which isGallagher said. Local 793 and the trainingto build a Canadian studio, aan outhouse with a large tire suspended froman effort to prevent the spread of malaria amonginstitute thought we should do our part, soCanadian funding source for fea-the boom of a crane. In another, he dropped achildren in Africa. were contributing $5,000 towards that.ture film. Theres nothing like thatlarge concrete block on a scrap car, obliteratingThe campaign provides bed nets to children.Mercer who rose to fame for his role inhere, he said.the vehicle.Mercer is co-chair of the campaign and is chal-the popular show This Hour Has 22 MinutesHe added this is a shameLook at that, Mercer remarked, admiringlenging students across Canada to raise enoughand his spinoff special Talking To Americansbecause there is a lot of great talenthis handiwork afterwards. I dropped that blockmoney for at least 7,000 bed nets for children.spoke to staff at Local 793 after the filming.coming out of Canada.right in the centre of the car.Were all touched by the fact that you alsoI want to thank you for the Spread The NetFor more information on theAfter the filming session, Mercer was madehave a social cause just as well as we do and youdonation, he said. Thats a phenomenal, phe-production company or the maga-an honourary member of the union.have a Spread The Net charity where you putnomenal gesture and thank you so much.zine, visit www.thelabmagazineon-Local 793 business manager Gallagher alsoout the challenge to schools across the country Grant Cameron is a communicationsline.com or www.thestudiomove-presented Mercer with a $5,000 cheque for histo raise money to combat malaria in Africa,specialist for IUOE Local 793ment.com.Information SessionsPlease join theDeGroote School of Business at the new Ron Joyce Centre in Burlington tolearn more about our educational offerings inlcuding our MBA and Executive Education ProgramsFebruary 2, 2011March 3, 2011April 5, 2011Ron Joyce Centre6:00pm 7:30pm4350 South Service Road, BurlingtonResgister Now http://www.degroote.mcmaster.ca/rjcinfo/25 Friday, January 21, 2011 OAKVILLE BEAVER www.oakvillebeaver.com