CCA Bulletin 6/10

March 3, 2010

Speech from the Throne: A Stronger Canada. A Stronger Economy.

How it Affects Arts & Culture

Just the Facts

After a two month long prorogation the Governor General of Canada, the Rt. Hon. Michaëlle Jean, delivered the Speech from the Throne, opening the third session of Canada’s 40th Parliament. For a second time in as many Speeches, the government focused on Canada’s economy. However, this time, the government moved away from laying out stimulus plans, and moved towards addressing deficit reduction, while promoting the achievements made by Canada on the global stage. This Speech from the Throne will be followed by tomorrow’s 2010 Federal Budget presented by the Hon. Minister of Finance, James Flaherty.

The Governor General began her Speech by outlining the approach which will be taken in the third session of this Parliament: “The agenda our government laid before parliament just over one year ago is largely in place through Canada’s Economic Action Plan, our Government took decisive steps to protect incomes, create jobs, ease credit markets, and help workers and communities get back on their feet. As we begin to see modest improvements in growth and employment, the task before us today is to finish the work begun last year.”

“Jobs and growth remain the top priority. Our government will complete the second year of Canada’s economic action plan – guided by extensive consultations with leaders in business, industry, and everyday working people and their families – and make refinements where necessary…our attention must also encompass the new measures Canada needs for success in the modern economy. This will require a return to fiscal balance, securing [a] strong budgetary position.”

The Speech from the Throne makes it clear that balancing the budget will be a foundation for a strong economy. As stimulus spending is reduced after the completion of the second year of the Action Plan, other steps will be taken to restrain federal program spending, including:

Freezing the salaries of the Prime Minister, Ministers, Members of Parliament, and Senators,
Freeze overall budget of Ministers’ offices,
Freeze departmental operating budgets,
Review of departmental administrative services,
Eliminate unnecessary appointments to federal agencies, boards, commissions, and Crown corporations,
AND, aggressively review all departmental spending to ensure value for money and tangible results.

Tell me more

The government laid out issues ranging from Canada’s aging population and healthcare, to infrastructure and industry, as well as Canada’s role as an international leader in the economy and host of the G8 and G20 Summits. Amidst all this, the Speech noted several points pertaining to culture, despite the fact that there is no explicit mention of the arts.

The need to update and maintain Canada’s cultural infrastructure was an element of the CCA’s pre-budget submission to the Standing Committee on Finance. The Speech from the Throne acknowledges this issue with a reference made to “16,000 projects putting Canadians to work while laying the foundation for future prosperity. These projects range from roads and bridges to colleges and universities, from social housing to our cultural and heritage institutions.” The CCA hopes that in the Budget we will see investment in cultural institutions which include the arts. The CCA previously recommended that there be an increased investment of $60 million to the Canada Cultural Spaces Fund. Often, cultural infrastructure is a one-time initiative which leaves arts facilities decaying over time. It is especially important that infrastructure outside the large urban centres receive funding in order to foster more artistic and creative communities.

Under the auspice of “strengthening a united Canada in a changing world,” the Governor General acknowledged this country as one of refuge. Within that notion, the government will support the establishment of national monuments. The CCA encourages this recognition and hopes that these projects will supply opportunities for Canadian creators and artists.

In reference to the creative economy, the Speech addressed the need to launch a digital economy strategy in order to drive the adoption of new technology across the economy. To learn more about digital strategies abroad, visit the British National Plan for Digital Participation, or for a more interactive approach watch the youtube user’s guide to ‘Digital Britain’. You may also read an introductory paper presented by Nordicity outlining the necessity for a Canadian digital strategy.

The Governor General also stated that intellectual property and artistic ideas must be protected: “To encourage new ideas and protect the rights of Canadians whose research, development and artistic creativity contribute to Canada’s prosperity, our Government will also strengthen laws governing intellectual property and copyright.” Following the 2008 federal election which killed Copyright Bill C-61, the sector participated in nation-wide consultations and speculation on new copyright legislation. The CCA expects to see new legislation tabled in the coming year to bring Canada into accordance with the WIPO treaty and international standards of intellectual property protection.

The controversial issue of globalized telecommunications was addressed in that the government will “open Canada’s doors further to venture capital and to foreign investment in key sectors, including the satellite and telecommunications industries.” Concerns arise from the suggestion by the Telecommunications Policy Review Panel that it may be time to develop a single legislative and regulatory review process for broadcasting and telecommunications. If this is an approach the government takes, the ownership and regulatory review processes may be less vigorous, resulting in the admission of increased foreign investors. Consequently, Canadian undertakings may become subject to foreign takeovers and weaken the content requirements within broadcasting, cable, and satellite sectors. This an issue that the CCA will be following closely in the coming months to ensure that any opening of Canadian markets does not become a race for the lowest common denominator rather than the highest standards of quality Canadian content.

Through free trade agreements the government will pursue a broad, open market. In tomorrow’s Budget, the CCA will look for investment in promotion for Canadian arts abroad, and audience development. These measures would ensure that Canadian creative producers can capitalize on cultural trade and arts presentation abroad, as well as encourage the growth of an international arts audience within Canada.

The Governor General concluded the government's remarks by looking forward: “The future to which Canadians aspire will not arrive by chance. Grand visions for a nation’s future will come to nothing if not balanced by the means to pay for them. To realize the hopes Canadians hold for themselves and their families, the economy must remain our Government’s single most urgent priority. Hope is borne on the wings of prosperity.”

What can I do?

Tomorrow, on March 4, read our bulletin which will cover a preliminary examination of how the 2010 Federal Budget will impact arts and culture in Canada. As the CCA noted in its pre-budget submission, we will be looking for increased investment in market and audience development for arts and culture within Canada and abroad, as well as increased investment in the creative economy: by supporting the Canada Council for the Arts and establishing a stable program for cultural statistics. Finally, the CCA will be looking for an investment in cultural infrastructure in communities around Canada, as well as an investment in training our next generation of arts and cultural workers.

Then, look for more in-depth coverage by the CCA as the Main and Supplementary Estimates are released. Throughout the coming year, the CCA will examine how federal expenditure management will decrease the deficit. Specifically, the CCA will examine how arts and cultural funding through the Department of Canadian Heritage and other federal agencies will be targeted. The CCA will want to understand the compound affect of funding decreases over the coming years and how program reduction will impact the contribute of Canadian arts to the creative economy.

Finally, follow the CCA on www.twitter.com/CanadianArts, on our Facebook page, and discuss the Throne Speech and Budget on our blog!