His father, James Manly was a United Church minister and a New Democratic Party member of the House of Commons for the 32nd and 33rd Canadian Parliaments.

His mother Eva Manly, a graduate of the University of Ottawa (BFA '85) is a multi-disciplinary artist who has collaborated with him on several video and documentary projects.

[8][9] His first major film was a collaboration with his parents on a historic documentary about residential schools, entitled the Awakening of Elizabeth Shaw.

This video documents one white woman’s response to the unfair and inhumane treatment of First Nations children in British Columbia’s residential schools.

[11] In 2007, Manly videotaped one police provocateur inciting violence at the Security and Prosperity Partnership (SPP) leaders event.

In 2010, Manly produced a video about the export of raw bitumen out of the Port of Vancouver and the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion.

In February 2020, Manly submitted an amendment to Bill C-4, the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement Implementation Act, to the Standing Committee on International Trade.