CCA Bulletin 23/08

July 10, 2008

Summer Means… 2009-10 Federal Budget Consultations!

Just the Facts

The Standing Committee on Finance has announced it is receiving submissions for the 2009-10 federal budget consultations. This is an opportunity for the public to put forward recommendations and other ideas about what the 2009-10 federal budget should contain.

The CCA will be releasing in a few days its comprehensive Analysis of the 2008-09 Federal Budget, which should help organizations and individuals in crafting any submission they plan to make to the Standing Committee on Finance.

The CCA has already indicated its desire to appear in front of the Committee and will be consulting with its members on the pre-budget submission in the coming weeks.

Tell Me More

Over the next two fiscal years, a whopping 343.2 million of program dollars at the Department of Canadian Heritage is up for renewal. The list below is drawn from the Department of Canadian Heritage’s Report on Plans and Priorities. This document, which the CCA addressed in an earlier bulletin, is a comprehensive examination of the activities and plans of the Department. The programs affected are:

Museums Assistance Program
Book Publishing Industry Development Program
Canadian Television Fund
National Arts Training Contribution Program
Canadian Arts and Heritage Sustainability Program
Sound Recording Industry Development Program
Cultural Spaces Canada
Canada Magazine Fund
New Media Fund
Canadian Music Fund
TV-5 Quebec –Canada
Arts, Culture and Diversity Program
Movable Cultural Property Fund
National Training Program in Film and Video Sector
Aboriginal Peoples’ Program
Enhancement of Official Languages Program
Multiculturalism Program
Human Rights Program
Canadian Studies Program
Exchanges Canada
Katimavik

It is unclear at the moment whether this list also includes the $ 25 million per year to the Canada Council for the Arts that has been part of the funding envelope formerly known as Tomorrow Starts Today.

It should be noted that the Department has expressed its intent to seek the renewal of most of these programs. However, the Department has only said that it may seek renewal for the following Tomorrow Starts Today programs: the Book Publishing Industry Development Program and the National Arts Training Contribution Program.

These commitments to renew programs must not be viewed as guarantees. The ultimate decision regarding the future of each program is determined by Treasury Board and Cabinet. The government can reverse its intentions at a moment’s notice. For example, this year’s Report on Plans and Priorities indicated that the Department would seek renewal of the Canadian Culture On-line Program, which, as Budget 2008 announced, has been completely cut off by the government.

Nonetheless, it is clear that the Department will be very busy preparing for such a massive program renewal process. Each program up for renewal will have undergone a summative evaluation process which determines if the objectives for the creation the program were met. These objectives were laid out in the formative evaluation process when the program was first created.

The Department can seek additional resources, amend criteria or recommend a re-profiling of the structure of programs in its submission to Treasury Board.

The significant dollar value of the programs up for renewal represents a major investment in the financial stability of the arts and culture sector. The CCA has asked to appear in front of the Standing Committee on Finance and will be encouraging it to recommend the expeditious renewal of these programs to ensure continuity in the growth and sustenance of the arts and culture sector.

What Can I Do?

Individuals and organizations have until July 31st to indicate to the Committee’s Clerk that they want to appear and until August 15th to submit their brief.

A new twist this year: briefs must be limited to five pages maximum and three to five priorities are now considered too many as interveners are strongly invited to limit themselves to one recommendation!

"Briefs should be no longer than five pages in length, should include an executive summary, and should contain only one recommendation that reflects your most important federal program spending or taxation priority. In the event that briefs contain more than one recommendation, only the first one will be considered by the Committee."

If you or your organization would like to comment on "one priority" you would like to see included in the CCA pre-budget submission please contact us as soon as possible.

If on the other hand you wish to contribute to the 2009-10 federal budget consultations by the Standing Committee on Finance, the details regarding the process can be found here. The CCA would appreciate receiving a copy of your submission to the Standing Committee.