CCA BULLETIN / BULLETIN DE LA CCA
NONE OF THE ABOVE!
Ottawa , June 8 th , 2004 - All the major parties have now issued their official platforms - and they may well instill a sense of foreboding in those who support the arts. To spare CCA members the gloomy task of sifting through the detritus, a matrix comparing and contrasting the platforms is available at: http://www.ccarts.ca/eng/01new/electionmatrix.htm
The Massey-Lévesque report (Royal Commission on National Development in the Arts, Letters and Sciences 1949-1951), stated that “It has been suggested to us that one measure of the degree of civilization attained by a nation might fairly be the extent to which the nation's creative artists are supported, encouraged and esteemed by the nation as a whole.” Given this definition, Canada might soon become one of the most uncivilized countries in the Western world!
In an attempt to elicit further information on specific issues, CCA contacted many of the parties' headquarters, with mixed results.
The Liberal party, which has a good track record of support for culture (especially since 2001), might reasonably have been expected to build on this success. Communicating directly with officials we discovered that it is their intention to, at a minimum, maintain all funding now in place. Why this is not stated clearly in the platform becomes the question. Were the Prime Minister to speak clearly of his commitment to the arts, heritage and cultural industries, his position going into the election would certainly improve.
• While citing past successes, the platform fails to mention the proposed renewal of the Tomorrow Starts Today funding (which runs out at the end of the current fiscal year), although assurances were given by government spokespeople that the renewal is in process.
• Although there is mention of the Liberal's support for the Cultural Diversity treaty being developed by UNESCO, it fails to mention whether they will be upholding restrictions on foreign ownership of the broadcasting industry, currently threatened by a report from the Industry Committee.
• There is mention of increased funding for the Canada Council for “the major arts organizations” but what is absent is a commitment to maintain and build on the $25 million which was added to the budget in 2001 for a limited time. Verbal assurance has been given that the $25 million stays.
• Indicative of a party with no solid policy framework, Liberal HQ was unable to answer specific questions on the platform and referred CCA st af f to the office of the Minister of Canadian Heritage, an unusual practice during an election.
• On the question of the party's position regarding the artistic merit defence and the threat to freedom of expression posed by Bill C-12, the CCA was referred to the Minister of Justice, who referred us to Justice Department officials, who were surprised in their turn and muttered “no comment”.
The NDP was unable to answer some of the explicit questions put to them and maintained that the party is unable to present all their policies in the platform document as it would just be too long. However, it would have been heartening to have seen more detailed policies on arts and heritage from a party which has been supportive in the past.
• In particular, it is disappointing that the NDP did not build on Wendy Lill's work on her private members' bill M-293 from 2003 (an exemption of tax on income derived from artistic work) to propose a new taxation measure for artists.
• The NDP has been a strong supporter of the coalition of unions and arts groups called Our Canada is not for sale which is arguing to preserve restrictions on foreign ownership of broadcasting and which will hold a press conference during the Banff television festival next week.
• The NDP has worked hard to preserve the artistic merit defence which was under attack in Bill C-12 and can be expected to maintain that position going into a new government. As an example of support, the NDP organized a reading session on Parliament Hill for Freedom to Read Week this past February. Why not put this in the platform?
A spokesperson for the Conservative Party stated that “no mention in the platform indicates status quo for a first Conservative mandate”. He also pointed out that as the merger of the party was so recent, the Conservatives did not have time to hold a policy convention before the election was called; consequently, the party is going “by principle” on some issues. However, the absence of so many words and phrases considered key to the cultural sector (see CCA 's analysis in the matrix), is alarming. If “quality of life” doesn't appear anywhere in the platform, don't expect any if the Conservatives are elected. (As a footnote, it is interesting to note that, despite traditional Conservative antipathy to the CBC, CCA 's representative was treated to CBC Radio while waiting on hold!)
The Bloc leads all parties in its articulation of sensible cultural policy measures and its support of the arts. However this support is limited to cultural issues in “La belle province” and the Bloc cannot be counted on to support measures that benefit artists in the rest of Canada .
CCA urges its members to not only review the matrix, but also read carefully the budget analysis entitled Dear Prudence ( http://www.ccarts.ca/en/advocacy/publications/policy/documents/dearprudence.pdf) This is the first election in decades where the outcome has been so unclear, the cultural platforms so rickety, and the ramifications for the cultural sector so dangerous.
CCA will be providing updates to this information as and when it becomes available.
Other cultural activity on the election front:
• The Toronto Media-Festivals Network is sponsoring a “Debate on Cultural Policy” on Wednesday on Wednesday 16 June in the ballroom at the Gladstone Hotel ( 1214 Queen Street West , at Gladstone ); the doors open at 8.30pm . The line-up for this event is: Olivia Chow (NDP), and Sarmite Bulte (Liberals); Conservative candidate to be confirmed. The candidates will be responding to questions from panellists including Atom Egoyan and Barri Cohen. This promises to be a very lively evening, and one of great importance for the cultural sector. For further information, contact Judy Wolfe at 416 598 2662 ( jwmatrix@eol.ca ).
• At its annual general meeting, held in Vancouver on 5 June, the Independent Media Arts Alliance unanimously passed the following motion:
“Whereas the Department of Canadian Heritage established the Tomorrow Starts Today programme that has contributed greatly to the media arts in Canada,
Whereas funding from this programme includes: The Arts Presentation Canada programme which funds media arts festivals and a $25 million annual increase to the Canada Council for the Arts which in turn has increased funding for the media arts sector,
And whereas this funding, which is critical to vulnerable sectors of the media arts including dissemination of culturally diverse and aboriginal media art work and support for smaller media arts organizations may not be renewed,
Be it resolved that I MAA lobby Canadian Heritage to preserve, increase, and broaden the funding for the media arts contained within the Tomorrow Starts Today programme.”
Kudos to IMAA for taking a proactive stance on the issue of renewing the TST funding. CCA urges other arts groups to take a similar position and to insist the TST funding is renewed before getting into specific disciplinary needs.
For more information:
Kevin Desjardins
Communications and Public Relations Manager
(613) 238 3561 ext.11
Fax (613) 238 4849
27/04
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