CCA BULLETIN / BULLETIN DE LA CCA

PRE-ELECTION REPORT CARD

Ottawa , May 14th 2004 - Although the date has yet to be fixed, it seems fairly certain that Canadians will go to the polls in late spring.   The following is a brief summary of federal parties' positions on culture at the present time.  

Once the writ is dropped, CCA will contact all parties for their cultural platforms and for their positions on specific issues, giving them a chance to improve their grades .   In the meantime, CCA has election and advocacy preparedness materials up on the website ( www.ccarts.ca ), in English and in French, to help make the case for the arts.

Liberals ( www.liberal.ca )                                           Grade : A-

The Liberals have made credible progress in the area of arts and culture, due in part to a visionary Minister with staying power. However, af ter more than 10 years in government, one might have expected more progress in the area of support to the cultural sector.   Particularly disappointing is the lack of will to construct a federal cultural policy framework.

On the plus side, points in their favour include

• the $560 million funding announcement made in May 2001 which included new programmes to address much needed deficits in the sector (such as capacity building and sustainability), renewed for a further year (fiscal 2004-05);
• the DCH moved quickly in the wake of the sponsorship scandal to provide partial assistance to many cultural festivals and events which had expected to receive funding before that programme was scrapped;
• support in the Speech from the Throne for an initiative of the previous Minister, Sheila Copps, for an international instrument to exclude culture from trade treaties means that Canada will continue to play a strong role in this struggle to preserve cultural diversity.

Negative impacts include

• w af fling on the issue of foreign ownership, with Industry Canada coming down on the side of deregulation of ownership restrictions for Canadian broadcasting companies, and Canadian Heritage supporting the maintenance of existing limits on foreign investment.   Both sides have talked about meeting to resolve differences and to come to a "compromise" position;
• the Arts Presentation Canada programme which was unable to meet the needs of applicants this year due to a decrease in the monies available for distribution and an increase in the number of applications.   Many of these same groups had been caught in the abolition of the sponsorship programme.
• work to improve the financial viability of self employed artists has been inconsistent - the Liberals voted against a motion to exempt copyright income from taxation, and have failed to establish the Council on Status of the Artist required in the legislation of the same name.

In an interview on CPAC's Talk Politics last week, freshman Heritage Minister Hélène Chalifour Scherrer reiterated her commitment to ongoing sustainable funding, correctly identifying it as the major issue in the sector.   She stated she was "working on the Tomorrow Starts Today funding to make sure it can be sustainable; it would be for three years at least to make sure ... organizations can plan".   This is good news.

Comments : real progress in the area of securing funding, but policy development and the regulatory framework still need work.

Conservatives ( www.conservative.ca )                      Grade: C-

There is no sign of support for the arts in any of the materials to date, although there is a mention of heritage in its "Partial Policy Statement", dated 4 February 2004 .   This document also calls for "an overall review of the relevance" of the CRTC.      

Comments : Continues to demonstrate a poor grasp of the topic.   Needs improvement.

Bloc Québécois ( www.blocquebecois.org )             Grade: B

The Province of Quebec has long been a leader in cultural af fairs and this party has brought many of these progressive initiatives to the federal level.   The party was aggressive on the issue of enforcing foreign ownership restrictions and supportive of a cultural instrument to counter trade liberalization.   Bloc MPs supported private members' bills on an income tax exemption for copyright income for artists and creators, based on the Quebec model; however, the BQ voted with the government on C-12, rather than in support of preservation of the artistic merit defence.  

Comments : generally demonstrates a keen understanding of the topic; however, it is limited by its narrow mandate.

New Democratic Party ( www.ndp.ca )                     Grade: B+

Considerable support on this party's website for culture: in particular, support for public broadcasting and the CBC, preserving our cultural identity, and the threats inherent in concentration of media ownership.   NDP MP's have managed to introduce private members' bills relating to income tax exemptions for copyright income for artists and creators on two separate occasions; party members were also vocal in their support of amendments to Bill C-12 and freedom of expression.   The party provides much needed balance in the House on issues of culture, and plays a strong role on House committees.

Comments : no leadership role to date, but has an excellent grasp of the topic and effects change from the sidelines. Must strive to realize its obvious potential.

Green Party ( www.greenparty.ca )                            Grade: B

This party's cultural platform is supportive of the arts (increased funding) and heritage (preservation and renovation of historic buildings).   It is looking for a "trickle down and trickle up" approach - more funding to the Canada Council and to community arts groups.

Comments : recent high school polls indicate that young voters find their policies very attractive.   Potential for growth.

For more information:

Kevin Desjardins

Communications and Public Relations Manager

(613) 238 3561 ext.11

Fax (613) 238 4849

info@ccarts.ca

www.ccarts.ca

21/04

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