CCA Bulletin 54/06
Ottawa,
December 21, 2006
Wrapping
up 2006: Useful Information on "Odds & Ends"
This
CCA Bulletin, our last one for 2006, contains useful information
about:
The
CCA Clarifies a Key Element of its Pre-Budget Submission
When
the Standing Committee on Finance issued its report, "Canada:
Competing to Win", they noted on page 59 that the
Canadian Conference of the Arts (CCA) and Canadian Actors'
Equity Association (CAEA), "Urged the Committee to rectify
what they believe to be inequitable treatment of self-employed
individuals - artists, in particular - under the EI program,
since self employed individuals - who are classified as independent
contractors - are required to pay both the employer and employee
share of EI contributions but do not have access to all of
the program's benefits".
Unfortunately,
this is a misrepresentation of the key point the CCA was trying
to make to the Committee and we regret any misdoing in creating
this confusion. In order to address this misunderstanding
the CCA has sent a letter
of clarification on December 18 to the Chair of the Standing
Committee, MP Brian Pallister, where we note:
"Self-employed
workers neither pay the premiums for the EI programs nor do
they currently have access to any of the benefits associated
with the program. In fact, efforts are ongoing to adapt the
EI program so that independent contractors can pay a modified
premium to access the so-called "soft benefits"
of the program; namely maternity/paternity benefits, compassionate
leave, and extended sick leave. Both the CAEA and the CCA
will continue to work with other organizations within the
cultural sector and beyond to achieve some progress on this
issue. The Cultural Human Resources Council (CHRC) is also
actively engaged in negotiations with federal officials to
this end."
"50
for 50" : Canada Council's 50th Anniversary Celebration
to Promote Public Engagement in the Arts
Canada
's national arts funding agency is challenging Canadians to
help it celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2007 by stepping
up their involvement in the arts. The Canada Council for the
Arts, created by an Act of Parliament on March 28, 1957, just
launched the "50 for 50" Arts Challenge, an initiative
aimed at encouraging people to become more involved in the
arts as both audience members and active participants.
The
Council is asking people to participate in 50 arts activities
during the anniversary year - ranging from reading a poem
to singing in a choir to attending a film festival to looking
at a painting - keep a record of their experiences and let
the Council know about it. According to Canada Council Director
Robert Sirman, "Fifty arts activities in 2007 may sound
like a lot, but when you consider it's less than one a week,
you realize how easy it is to meet the challenge. The arts
are all around us: on TV, radio and the Internet, in our local
book or record stores, in our schools, community centers and
parks as well as in such specialized venues as art galleries,
theatres and concert halls." The CCA agrees that the
vast majority of Canadians are already engaged in the arts
in one way or another, even if some people don't realize it.
Participants
in the challenge are encouraged to tell the Canada Council
about their experiences by e-mail at 50@canadacouncil.ca,
or by writing to: The "50 for 50" Arts Challenge,
Canada Council for the Arts, 350 Albert St, P.O. Box 1047,
Ottawa, ON K1P 5V8. Highlights will be posted on the Council's
web site. The 50 for 50 Arts Challenge is one of a number
of special activities related to the Canada Council's 50th
anniversary, including more than 80 anniversary concerts,
performances and other events dedicated to the Canada Council
by arts organizations across Canada. Starting in January,
you can visit www.canadacouncil.ca
for ongoing updates on the "50 for 50" Arts Challenge
and other 50th anniversary activities.
New
Hill Strategies Research Report Shows Record Level of Individual
Donations to Cultural Organizations in 2004
A
new report from Hill Strategies Research, entitled Individual
Donors to Arts and Culture Organizations in Canada 2004,
provides a somewhat encouraging picture of arts and culture
fundraising in 2004. The Hill Strategies Research report shows
that 732,000 Canadians 15 years of age or older made financial
donations worth a total of $188 million to arts and culture
organizations in 2004. This represents a record level of donations
by individuals to arts and culture organizations -- much higher
than amounts captured in surveys conducted in 2000 and 1997.
A
caveat however: because of slightly different survey content
and methodologies, previous estimates of donations to all
types of non-profit organizations may have been underestimated.
This could lead to an exaggeration of the increase in donations
between 2000 and 2004. However, the increase in the donations
to arts and culture organizations was much higher than any
other non-profit sector that was defined consistently
in 2000 and 2004. It is highly unlikely that this disproportionate
increase could be the result of survey changes alone, which
did not favour arts and culture organizations over other types
of non-profit organizations. Overall, it is clear that there
was a substantial, real increase in donations to arts and
culture organizations between 2000 and 2004.
The
report examines data from custom tabulations that Hill Strategies
Research commissioned from Statistics Canada based on the
2004 Canada Survey of Giving, Volunteering, and Participating
(CSGVP). This national survey questioned a very large and
statistically representative sample of Canadians age 15 or
older (20,832 people) about their financial gifts to all types
of not-for-profit organizations in the 12 months preceding
the survey. The report also provides a summary of the number
of donors in each province and rough estimates of the value
of donations to arts and culture organizations by region.
A
clear challenge for arts and culture organizations is to sustain
the fundraising momentum that they have built through time-limited
or project-specific campaigns. In the last federal budget,
the government abolished the remaining capital gains tax on
registered securities donated to charities and private foundations.
Although it may be a bit early to do so, it will be interesting
to examine the impact this measure may have on the level of
individual donations to arts and culture organizations in
the next survey on this topic, scheduled for 2007.
Heritage
buildings: "Landmarks Not Landfill" Online Campaign
The
Heritage Canada Foundation and the Coalition against Demolition
are calling upon the federal government to implement financial
incentives for historic places in its 2007 Budget. Over the
past 30 years, Canada has lost 20% of its historic buildings
to demolition - and the destruction continues. These
organizations believe the time has come for the federal government
to implement financial incentives in its 2007 budget to encourage
private sector investment in the rehabilitation of historic
places, and are calling on the public to support their request.
Interested participants can join by visiting: http://www.heritagecanada.org/petition_form.cfm
In
closing...
2006
has been a memorable and successful year here at the Canadian
Conference of the Arts (CCA). We wish to take this opportunity
to thank our members and supporters, and hope that you will
enjoy a very merry holiday season, as well as a peaceful and
prosperous 2007!
As
the CCA relies heavily on your contributions to continue its
important ongoing work, charitable
donations are always graciously accepted.
(Please
note that the CCA offices will be closed as of Friday, December
22, 2006, opening again on Monday, January 8, 2007).
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