Message from the President
By now many of you have been made aware of the CCA’s changing relationship with its major funder, the Government of Canada. Indeed, many of you may already or will soon be facing the prospect of reduced support federally. The model is shifting and changing for all of us. It is an immense challenge for this organization given its reliance for 45 years on federal support. The board and staff have been working since last summer on a series of financial options and a business plan that will allow us to move forward independent of that support. And the National Director has been on the road for weeks consulting the membership on the services it needs and wants from its national cultural service organization. While none of us knows what the outcome will be when the budget is released in mid-March, we feel confident that the government will understand the necessity of a transitional period of support to ensure the CCA has the time to develop an entirely new funding model. There is no question that the future is not guaranteed, but from the consultation sessions in Toronto, Montreal and Ottawa last fall, from Alain’s tour across the country these past few weeks and last, given the passionate and committed response from my board of directors and the dedication of the staff, the possibilities are tremendously exciting!
Now more than ever we need a national voice in Ottawa. This board wants to build with your help an organization that will provide needed services and support for the achievement of this goal. Everywhere we go, we hear the need for solid research and strategic advocacy. We want to work with all the NASOs, unions, coalitions and other organizations engaged in this work to help strengthen that voice.
The CCA has such a rich history, 67 years of working on behalf of artists and cultural organizations in Canada! It is a long and proud legacy of achievement and we will not let that go lightly. While I am active now as President, there were many years I renewed my membership but did little else. During those years, while I might not have directly accessed services on offer, I was always confident that cultural policy and research was being done for the benefit of us all. I felt it was an important and necessary, in fact, crucial, entity that needed to remain active and financially healthy.
I still feel that way. That’s why I decided to get involved four years ago and why, even in this very uncertain time, I am completely convinced that this organization is key to the health of the cultural sector in Canada. We all need a voice in Ottawa. We need solid and effective research. And we certainly need strategic advocacy and communications.
My biggest regret is that I couldn’t be on the road with Alain meeting all of you! Please share your thoughts anytime through this website.
I invite all of you to join us in this change and in building a vibrant future for arts and culture in our country!
Kathleen