Québec City
February 14, 2012 Bonhomme Carnaval was back in storage, the sky was pure blue and the air icy cold when I arrived in Québec City on Sunday. I come here invited by the network of Québec independent presenters (RIDEAU) to be a panellist at their annual gathering. I seize the opportunity to meet a number of people in the province’s old capital who have an interest in the future of the CCA. Monday starts early: an all-morning workshop starting at 8:30 am, preceded by breakfast with fellow panelists and the moderator. The...
read moreCopyright reform: the government fast-tracks the process
CCA Bulletin 02/12 February 15, 2012 Just the facts Bill C-11, known as the Copyright Modernization Act, was adopted at second reading yesterday after the government imposed a limit to the debate last week. All opposition parties voted against, but the bill was adopted thanks to the government majority. Barely hours after the vote, the special Legislative Committee met to establish its work plan and once again, the government majority could overcome opposition parties’ objections and set a very tight agenda for the...
read moreMoncton and Charlottetown
February 12, 2012 Last Wednesday in Moncton was as busy as I said it would be in my last blog! Three presentations back-to-back in the City Council Chambers (clearly a favoured venue for this visit to New Brunswick). The day begins at 10 am with a meeting in French, my first since Saint Boniface. Over thirty people listen attentively to my presentation and I am a bit discombobulated by their quietness. What has happened to the Acadians I have grown to know? Not very much like them to stay silent! But things warm up a bit and I answer...
read moreNew Brunswick Tour — Part One
February 9, 2012 I finally have some free time to tell you about my tour of New Brunswick: what a heavy agenda that was! This is the only province where I have visited three cities: Fredericton, Saint John and Moncton. All in all, five public presentations, five small group meetings, and some 125 people heard the CCA message over those three days… not counting those who followed one presentation on Twitter (more about that in a moment)! It all started in Fredericton where I arrived on Sunday night and was joined on Monday morning by my...
read moreThe National Director’s Blog — On the way back from Edmonton
February 2, 2012 EDMONTON — My too-short visit to Edmonton was a fitting conclusion to a very exciting week in Alberta. I arrived in the provincial capital Tuesday night on the Red Arrow bus from Calgary (what high quality travel on board of those buses, something to shame Voyageur services back East!). Tom McFall, Executive Director of the Alberta Craft Council and CCA Board member, was waiting for me at the station and after dropping my luggage at the hotel, we went out for dinner to prepare the meetings he lined up for me: not a...
read moreFebruary 2012: Roland Mahé
After more than forty years at the helm of the oldest Canadian theatre troupe, Roland Mahé has decided to pass the torch and retire. Hats off to Roland Mahé!
read moreThe National Director’s Blog – On the Red Arrow bus from Calgary to Edmonton
January 31 CALGARY — Ah Calgary! What a warm welcome, and I am not referring to the spring-like temperature or the radiant sunshine of the past two days! It began yesterday at the airport where Michael Green, Curator and Artistic Director for Calgary 2012 was waiting to take me to my hotel and it went on until Tom McCarthy, General Manager of Calgary Arts Development, dropped me at the Red Arrow bus terminal today. I was welcomed with open arms in this modern metropolis in expansion mode. Calgary is proud of being a 2012...
read moreFrom the traveling desk of Alain Pineau — Written from the tarmac in Winnipeg
January 27, 2012 WINNIPEG — The weather gods are no longer smiling upon me! Freezing rain in Toronto and Ottawa means that I have at least three hours of leisure time at the Winnipeg airport: who knows at what time I’ll get home today! I may as well take advantage of this delay to blog on my short visit in Manitoba’s capital. CCA Board member Nicole Matiation and Thom Sparling, Executive Director of the Arts and Cultural Industries Association of Manitoba (ACI) prepared a fully loaded agenda for me. Thursday morning started with a...
read moreWhat to expect with the return of the House in Ottawa?
CCA Bulletin 01/12 January 27, 2012 highlights federal legislation on the horizon: Bill C-11, new CRA guidelines for arts organizations and potential changes at the CRTC.
read moreFrom the traveling desk of Alain Pineau — Latest news from Regina
January 24, 2012 REGINA — The weather gods have been good to me so far. While Saskatchewan was a frigid –40º C last week, today was a balmy –2º C and the sun was shining bright and warm, certainly more pleasant weather to deal with as Marnie Gladwell generously drove me from meeting to meeting. I must say that when it comes to making sure not a second of my stay here is wasted, Marnie has very few rivals. She had us booked from 8 in the morning to 6 at night, with barely a break for a soup and a sandwich at noon. But what a productive...
read more