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Amending the Copyright Act: What’s in it for Artists?
CCA Bulletin 15/10 June 3, 2010 Analysis Yesterday, the Conservative government tabled for first reading in the House of Commons Bill C-32, an Act to modernize the Canadian Copyright Act. This much awaited piece of legislation has been the object of speculation and concern from both sides of what has been, and will no doubt continue to be a hot public debate. The document has 65 pages of references for changes to the current Act and deciphering all of this...
read moreHarmonized Sales Tax: What does it mean for the arts?
CCA Bulletin 14/10 May 25, 2010 Just the Facts In December 2009, the Ontario legislature and the House of Commons and Senate enacted legislation for a harmonized sales tax (HST) to be implemented on July 1, 2010. Bill C-62 received Royal Assent in the House of Commons on December 15, 2009 and laid out the Provincial Choice Tax Framework Act. This legislation replaces Ontario’s retail sales tax (RST) with the HST. The HST will have a combined sales tax rate of 13% (combining...
read moreTowards a Canadian national digital strategy?
CCA Bulletin 13/10 May 13, 2010 Just the facts This week, the federal government launched a nation-wide consultation on the development of a national digital strategy. The announcement was made jointly by Ministers Clement (Industry), Moore (Heritage) and Finley (Human Resources and Skills Development) at the Canada 3.0 Conference on digital media. Minister Moore said, “Our government is committed to ensuring that creators, inventors and...
read moreThe Canadian Conference of the Arts urges the CRTC to put communities back in community television
Ottawa, ON (May 4, 2010) — Today, Alain Pineau, National Director of the Canadian Conference of the Arts (CCA), urged the CRTC to put communities back in community television. He also deplored the lack of data made available for a full evaluation of how cable operators use the $ 130 million they collect for community television. The current hearing explores how best to achieve the social and cultural objectives of community broadcasting as set in the Broadcasting Act. ...
read moreCCA to CRTC: Put Communities Back in Community Television and: The Canada Prizes for the Arts and Creativity Resurface
CCA Bulletin 12/10 May 4, 2010 Just the Facts – CRTC hearing on Community Television The Canadian Conference of the Arts (CCA) appeared in front of the CRTC today to present its views on the policy framework for community television. The current hearing’s purpose is to determine clearly how the objectives embedded in the concept of community television in the Broadcasting Act can be best achieved within the convergent environment of communications and...
read moreTelecoms: Is Canada Selling its Cultural Sovereignty Through the Back Door?
CCA Bulletin 11/10 April 6, 2010 Why this issue matters For the past several decades, the operating principle in Canadian cultural policy has been that Canadian ownership and effective control of our cultural industries will ensure more Canadian content is made available to Canadians. This is the case because it is easier to regulate Canadian owned companies than foreign owned ones. Moreover, Canadians are more likely than non-Canadians to tell our own...
read moreIs the CRTC “dreaming in Technicolor”?
CCA Bulletin 10/10 March 26, 2010 Why this issue should matter to all of us Irrespective of distribution platforms, broadcasting is a dominant form of cultural media. It provides creative employment to the largest number in the cultural sector and because the Broadcasting Act (1991) contains the most complete expression of cultural policy ever adopted by Parliament and provides an important reference point for cultural policy. The CCA has participated...
read moreCanada/EU Comprehensive Economic Trade Agreement : What are the cultural implications?
CCA Bulletin 9/10 March 22, 2010 Just the facts In May 2009, Canada and the European Union (EU) announced the launch of negotiations for a comprehensive economic and trade agreement (CETA). After several negotiating sessions, the parties are on track to conclude the agreement this year, although there are some controversial topics remaining. The Canadian government has released no information about CETA. From various European sources, we know that the scope of...
read moreCopyright: Opposition Parties First on the Ice!
CCA Bulletin 8/10 March 18, 2010 Just the facts In both the Throne Speeches of November 20, 2008 and of March 3, 2010, the Conservative government promised to proceed with legislation to modernize Canada’s copyright laws and ensure stronger protection for intellectual property. To avoid the sharp criticisms which had accompanied the tabling of Bill C-61in June 2008, the Ministers of Heritage and Industry carried out extensive consultations across the country...
read more2010 Federal Budget: The Action Plan Winding Down, but Administrative Reform Ramping Up
CCA Bulletin 7/10 March 4, 2010 Executive Summary The 2010 Budget includes stable funding to arts and culture with no cuts, but also yields no new investments into the creative economy. The CCA sees no investment towards cultural infrastructure, or funds for promotion abroad and audience development. It is encouraging that charities are given more flexible means to conduct business, and research granting associations will have an increased ability to fund higher...
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