CCA BULL ETIN / BULLETIN DE LA CCA
“The Artist is at the Centre of Everything”
The CCA's 2004 Pre-Budget Submission
Ottawa, October 7, 2004 - With labour strife holding up the new hockey season, we can take heart that Canada's other contact sport has begun in earnest this week as the First Session of the 38 th Parliament kicked off with the Speech From the Throne on Tuesday (See Bulletin 47/04 for the CCA's reaction to the Throne Speech). This session will hardly be typical, given that for the first time in 25 years, the governing party is in the minority in the House.
It's business as usual though for the CCA, beginning with our Pre-Budget Submission to the Standing Committee on Finance. Titled “The Artist is at the Centre of Everything” (a nod to comments made by incoming Minister of Canadian Heritage Liza Frulla to CBC TV), the submission makes six key recommendations to the standing committee. These recommendation were arrived at following input from CCA's members.
Recommendation 1
That the government of Canada move immediately to renew its investment in the
cultural sector and that it ensure there is adequate, stable, multi-year funding for
the future so that cultural institutions and agencies, in all their diversity, are able
to improve their stability, sustainability, and capacity building abilities.
Recommendation 2
That the government of Canada recognize the economic contribution of the
cultural sector by extending access to reasonable operating lines of credit for
small and medium-sized non-profit and/or charitable organizations.
Recommendation 3
That the Department of Finance take a leading role in a full and comprehensive
study into self-employment in today's Canadian labour market, examining public
and private sector models from a variety of situations and countries, with
particular emphasis on access to social benefits and developing a framework for
extending employment insurance in one form or another to self-employed
workers.
Recommendation 4
That the government of Canada , through the Department of Finance, institute
without delay a system of income back averaging on a 5 year basis, to address
the unique needs of the growing numbers of self-employed individuals in Canada ,
both within the cultural sector and in other sectors of the economy, who
experience substantial income fluctuations.
Recommendation 5
That the government of Canada introduce an income tax exemption of up to
$60,000 of annual copyright income, on a sliding scale similar to that which
currently exists in Quebec , for Canada 's professional artists and creators, who
form the nucleus of Canada 's cultural industries and institutions.
Recommendation 6
That, following the implementation of the above-mentioned tax exemption on
copyright income, the government of Canada give serious consideration to
extending such an exemption to apply to up to $60,000 per annum of ALL artistic
income.
The full text of the CCA's Pre-Budget Submission is available at
http://ccarts.ca/en/advocacy/publications/policy/prebudget2004.htm
Because of the summer election and the late resumption of Parliament, there is still an opportunity for other groups in the arts and culture sector to have their voices heard by the Finance Committee. The more frequently the Committee hears about the need for stable funding in the cultural sector, and of the difficulties of making a living as an artist, the better.
The final date for sending in submissions has not yet been announced. (See Bulletin 40/04). If you require any additional information on the Pre-Budget consultation process, please contact Richard Dupuis, Clerk of the Standing Committee on Finance, at (613) 992-9753; or Patrick Paradis, Committee assistant at (613) 996-1532 or at FINA@parl.gc.ca . You can also find information on the hearings and on the upcoming session at www.parl.gc.ca .
For more information:
Kevin Desjardins
Communications and Public Relations Manager
(613) 238 3561 ext.11
Fax (613) 238 4849
48/04
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Register now for the CCA's 2004 National Policy Conference
Friday 19 and Saturday 20 November 2004
at the MacKenzie Art Gallery ,
Regina , Saskatchewan
See CCARTS.CA for more details