CCA Bulletin 2/09

January 26, 2009

Speech From The Throne -

Prelude to the Federal Stimulus Budget

Just the Facts

On a day where the wind-chill was -31 Celsius, the Governor General of Canada, the CRT. Hon. Michaëlle Jean, delivered the Speech from the Throne that was all about economy.

The usual traditional trappings of honour guards and trumpet salutes were disposed of in favour of a stripped down presentation which lasted just over eight minutes. The Speech was a prelude to the unveiling of the Federal Stimulus Budget which will be announced tomorrow, January 27, 2009 at 4:00 p.m. EST.

The Governor General highlighted the forthcoming budget, which she noted was a collaborative process:

“Our Government approached the dialogue in a spirit of open and non-partisan cooperation. There is no monopoly on good ideas because we face this crisis together. There can be no pride of authorship – only the satisfaction of identifying solutions that will work for all Canadians.”

In outlining the thrust of the package, Her Excellency described the government’s action as follows:

• Our Government is stimulating the economy, through direct government action and by encouraging private expenditure.
• Our Government is taking immediate action to build Canada through new investment in infrastructure.
• Our Government is acting to protect the stability of our financial system.
• Our Government is acting to ensure access to credit for businesses and consumers.
• Our Government is acting to support Canadian industries in difficulty – including forestry, manufacturing, automotive, tourism, agriculture and communities that depend on those jobs.

Tell me more... about the budget!

While the Governor General did not enter into the details of measures contained within the federal Stimulus Budget, Cabinet Ministers have shown no similar restraint. The morning newspapers were replete with numbers contained within the budget and where the funds would be directed. 

The new Minister of Canadian Heritage informed one francophone media outlet over the weekend that $ 160 million for the arts and culture sector would be included in the stimulus budget. We have tried in vain to seek confirmation that this would be new money and not simply the re conduction of existing programs which are coming to a term. Tomorrow, the CCA has been invited to the pre-budget lock-up to analyze the Stimulus Budget, and we should be in a better position to share the details following the release of the budget. 

Usually the federal budget is followed by the release of the Main Estimates which is expected later this week. This voluminous document provides a line-by-line analysis of each program, department and agency for expenditure across the federal government. This should provide the CCA and stakeholders with a more detailed understanding of what the government intends to invest in arts and culture in the coming years.   

In the coming week, the CCA is planning to host telephone conferences to provide more details on the 2009-2010 federal budget, field your questions and gather your reactions. Once the Main Estimates have been studied, further details on how you can participate in these conference calls will be provided.