The Canadian Association of Magicians is dedicated to the promotion and encouragement of magic and magicians in Canada and the world. It was founded on March 15, 1997 by Joan Caesar. The current President is Shawn Farquhar. It publishes 4 Northern Peeks magazines and several Northern Sleights e-zines for its members annually. Members of the organization nominate and vote for the Canadian Magician of the Year.
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Purpose
When the organization began on March 15, 1997, its goal was to provide a means for Canada to join the FISM so that Canadian magicians could compete under the Canadian banner at FISM's World Championship of Magic. CAM, as the Canadian representative of magic, was accepted as a FISM member in July 2000.
Presidents
Convention
CAM hosts CAMaraderie, a Canadian national magic convention. This convention includes the announcement of awards, results of stage and close-up competitions, plus magic lectures, workshops, and performances. The stage competition and some magic performances are available to the general public.
The first 5 conventions were scheduled to take place every second year, and the first 4 took place in the Kitchener-Waterloo area of Ontario. At the 2009 convention in Montreal, it was announced that the convention would take place on a yearly basis starting in 2010, alternating between locations in Canada. In 2013, a modified single-day convention styled "CAM Jam" took place in two different locations on different days: in Niagara Falls in April, and in Port Coquitlam (near Vancouver) in June.
The CAM convention frequently takes place shortly after an invitational conference held in New York state, Fechter's Finger-Flicking Frolic, as known as FFFF and 4-F (see Magic conventions).
Competitive Awards
Eric Leclerc was the first magician to win both the stage award and close-up award at this convention. Michael Dardant was the first magician to win both awards in the same year.
Close-up Awards
Junior (Mike Gillis Most Promising Junior)
Canadian Magician of the Year
Awarded for the recipient's contribution to magic in Canada.
Sid Lorraine Achievement
Lifetime Achievement
Awarded for the recipient's contribution to magic in Canada and around the world.