CCA Bulletin 13/11
April 5, 2011
The Canadian Conference of the Arts’ main mandate — one that has been financially supported by the federal government for over 40 years — is to contribute to an informed public debate on cultural issues,. In keeping with this mandate and in order to assist Canadians interested in learning about how arts and culture are being discussed during the 2011 electoral campaign, the CCA has identified
six broad areas of importance for artists, creators, cultural institutions and industries.
The CCA has developed a set of questions pertaining to each issue. These questions can be presented to candidates when they come knocking at your door or during larger debates.
Today’s bulletin includes the first of two doorstep kits the CCA will publish. The questions we have put forth touch on three important issues facing the arts and culture sector in Canada. The topics raised question:
1) the role of the federal government in fostering a creative digital economy
;
2) the role of culture and arts in international diplomacy
; and
3) fiscal measures to support the growth of the sector
. Each set of questions is preceded by a short backgrounder on the issue. We encourage you to disseminate the responses you receive, either in writing or in a public forum.
These questions have also been sent to the leaders of each political party. As is made clear in the CCA’s Federal Election Rules of Engagement, the CCA will present an analysis of the positions of each federal party as they affect the interests of Canadians with regards to arts, culture and heritage. The CCA will not endorse any candidate or political party. The decision to cast a ballot is the right and duty of every Canadian citizen, who can form their judgments on an individual basis.
Issue: Cultural Investments as part of the National Economic Strategy
Background
Governments around the world have developed policies and strategies to ensure that the transition from an industrial economy to a digital economy benefits their citizens and their economies. The digital economy is largely built around self-employed creative workers, among whom there stands a large contingent of artists, creators and arts and culture professionals. If Canada is to compete internationally and strengthen its domestic economy and labour force, our political leaders must lead the way.
Conversations about the digital and creative economy must move away from an exclusive focus on building physical infrastructure. These conversations must take into account the necessity and presence of Canadian culture in the digital universe. The success of our arts, culture and national cohesion will depend upon how well new legislation recalibrates the digital factors that permeate all aspects of our lives. A national strategy must include new tools and strategies that allow Canadians to extract the maximum benefits from new media, while also securing their right to their own culture. This is why the CCA feels that it is important to cast the debate not only in terms of developing a “digital economy strategy for Canada” but rather, in terms of developing an economic, social and cultural digital strategy for Canadians.
A few particular areas of interest to develop a cohesive policy platform include: training and professional development for artists; innovative intellectual property rules through new copyright legislation; investment in Canadian content; retaining ownership and control of Canadian cultural industries; and digital infrastructure and cultural policies. Extending digital literacy to all Canadians is also a major preoccupation. Without a doubt, it is vital that Canadians have access to the best performing networks. However, it is even more important that they learn how to use digital technologies to foster their community life.
Suggested questions:
- What investments does your party propose to make in arts and culture as a component of a national economic strategy?
- Does your party support increasing the budget of the Canada Council for the Arts and if so, to what level and over what time frame?
- What measures does your party propose to support touring and the circulation of the works of Canadian artists across Canada?
- Does your National Digital Strategy include the creation of community multimedia centres across Canada? If it does, explain how you propose to do so.
Issue: Promoting Canadian Culture on the International Stage
Background
From 1995 to 2005, the promotion of Canadian values and culture abroad was the so-called third pillar of Canadian foreign policy. Many artists, creators and academics were sent abroad as ambassadors and symbols of excellence of our country.
A policy paper published by the Liberal government in 2005 first erased any mention of culture as the third pillar of Canadian foreign policy. In 2006, a first cut was made to cultural diplomacy. The remaining cultural diplomacy programs were eliminated with the cancellation of PromArt and Trade Routes just prior to the 2008 election. Staff responsible for arts and culture in foreign missions was reduced, as were operating budgets, requiring those left to fundraise in order to assist Canadian artists and creators.
This occurred at a moment when many countries around the world are reinvesting in public diplomacy to better position themselves in the world. Recently, the Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs of the United States, Ann Stock, gave a talk titled: “Culture in Diplomacy: A New Era for Arts & Cultural Relations.” During her presentation, Assistant Secretary Stock outlined the Obama administration’s efforts to use cultural diplomacy as an important foreign policy tool and emphasized the Department’s mandate to establish more mutually reciprocal relations with foreign cultural groups and programs. She touched on many of the State Department’s flagship cultural program initiatives, including Rhythm Road, DanceMotion, smART Power, Center Stage and Cultural Envoys.
Suggested questions:
- What does your party propose to do for the development of foreign markets for Canadian cultural products? What do you intend to do to support the circulation of the works of Canadian artists abroad?
- How would you incorporate culture into diplomatic strategies and trade objectives?
- What measures will you take to protect culture in international trade negotiations?
Issue: Fiscal Measures
Background
The CCA believes that self-employed creative workers should receive the same types of social and economic advantages granted to others in the workforce. They should also benefit from fiscal measures that recognize the specificity of their condition (as is the case, for example, for fishers, hairdressers and taxi drivers).
On the other hand, the government should adopt fiscal measures to foster arts philanthropy and investment in cultural industries. The cultural sector is an important component of our country’s creative economy and must be nurtured if Canada wants to keep its rank among the leading nations of the world.
Suggested questions:
- What does your party propose to do to improve the fiscal conditions and social safety net available to self-employed artists and creators in the creative economy?
- What fiscal measures does your party propose to encourage arts philanthropy and private investment in arts and cultural industries?
Tomorrow, questions on: the modernization of the Copyright Act; broadcasting, telecommunications and new media; and heritage.
|