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CCA Bulletin 3/10

January 22, 2010

CCA talks culture to the Federal Liberal caucus

 

On January 19, the Canadian Conference of the Arts (CCA)  was part of a panel of experts addressing the Liberal Party of Canada’s Caucus held on Parliament Hill. I had the privilege of hearing presentations by Anne Golden, President and CEO, Conference Board of Canada, Sherri Torjman, VP, Caledon Institute of Social Policy, and C. Scott Clark, a former civil servant with a 20 year career in the Department of Finance as  Assistant Deputy Minister and eventually Deputy Minister from 1997 to 2000.

 

Each of us was invited to make a presentation to contextualize the planning of the Liberal Party’s March policy conference in Montréal.  Scott Clark presented his views on the economic and fiscal outlook for the next decade. Anne Golden discussed the major policy issues concerning the Canadian business sector, while Sherri Torjman outlined the predominant social issues facing Canada during the same period. These presentations were given in front of some 80 Liberal MPs and Senators in attendance and were followed by short question periods, the whole lasting just under two hours.

 

I was invited to address issues facing the arts, culture and heritage sector. While giving a brief overview of the cultural sector and the numerous contributions it makes to Canadian society, my presentation concentrated on the need for developing an overarching policy strategy. This strategy would aim to address the most crucial issues of an evolving sector which exists in an economy and a society itself in transition.

 

I pointed to the fact that there has not been a thorough public debate about culture in this country since the early 1980s. The impact of new technologies, the generational transformation of the cultural sector and the changes in Canadian demography make it imperative that we step back and develop comprehensive policies suitable for the rapidly evolving environment. These policies must cover both the human resources and infrastructure of the Canadian cultural sector.

 

I mentioned that unfortunately, the current political climate and its exacerbated partisan tones are not conducive to much forward-looking reflection on the future of the Canadian cultural sector. Too often culture continues to be viewed as a luxury item by all levels of budget conscious governments, instead of as an important social and economic policy tool to foster Canadian prosperity and quality of life.

 

I ended my presentation with a quick overview of the main policy issues currently facing us:

 

  • Developing and implementing a National Digital Strategy which includes culture in all its forms and manifestations;

 

  • Updating our copyright laws to protect and promote innovation, creativity and research;

 

  • Reviewing the Telecommunications and Broadcasting Acts to reinforce the cultural objectives contained within the latter;

 

  • Developing markets at home and abroad and reinserting arts and culture in Canadian foreign policy;

 

  • Further adapting social safety net policies to a growing contingent of self employed Canadians;

 

  • Updating our cultural infrastructure across the country to take advantage of new technologies and maintain the social objective of democratization of culture;

 

  • Implementing the new museum policy developed in 2005;

 

  • Supporting training and mentorship in the cultural sector;

 

  • Providing comprehensive and timely cultural statistics to support the development of the sector and the evaluation of policies and programs at all levels of government.

 

Such issues require both a national vision and strong political will. And they cannot be addressed effectively without consultation and cooperation between the three levels of government.

 

As a non-partisan organization, the Canadian Conference of the Arts encourages and supports all national political parties to recognize the urgency and pertinence of developing such an overarching cultural strategy.

 

What can I do?

 

Contact your local MP to express support for the CCA’s policy priorities.  If appropriate, suggest that his/her Party Caucus could schedule a similar presentation.

 
 

© 2007 Canadian Conference of the Arts. All rights reserved.