Fwd: CCA Bulletin 21/07 - The Canadian Conference of the Arts' (CCA) Releases Its Annual In-Depth An

Tue Jun 5 18:18:30 EDT 2007

>>> "CCA Info" <CCAinfo at ccarts.ca> 05/06/2007 1:35 pm >>>
BULLETIN

>From the Canadian Conference of the Arts

Ottawa, June 5, 2007

The Canadian Conference of the Arts' (CCA) Releases Its Annual In-Depth
Analysis of the Federal Budget re: Arts and Culture Issues

The Canadian Conference of the Arts (CCA) is pleased to announce the
publication of its annual in-depth analysis of the federal budget
<http://ccarts.ca/en/documents/cca_federalbudgetanalysis_2007_en.pdf>
 related to arts and culture issues.  Download it from this address:
http://ccarts.ca/en/documents/cca_federalbudgetanalysis_2007_en.pdf.

This document analyzes the Budget
<http://www.ccarts.ca/en/advocacy/bulletins/2007/1207.htm>  presented
by the Minister of Finance, the Hon. Jim Flaherty, on March 19, 2007, by
looking at federal funding to the Department of Canadian Heritage (DCH),
its agencies and crown corporations, from 20050-2006 to 2007-2008.  This
multi-annual comparison is necessary because 2005-2006 expenditures are
understated, while those for 2006-2007 are overstated, due to the fact
that the Supplementary Estimates tabled by the previous government were
not adopted before the last federal election. 

The analysis also looks into organizational and funding changes within
the Department of Canadian Heritage; federal funding of key programs
across the arts, heritage and cultural industries, and other noteworthy
developments affecting the sector.  

Just The Facts

A number of key findings emerge.  First, overall cultural funding
levels hold steady or rise modestly in Budget 2007-2008, which is
welcome news for the sector.  There was also good news in late 2006,
when the government announced close to $100 million in infrastructure
funding for a number of federal cultural institutions in Ottawa, and in
early 2007, when the government announced a two-year renewal of the
Canadian Television Fund (but still at the same $100 M1996 level). 

Notwithstanding this good news, there is ambivalence and uncertainty
for the sector.  The title of this year's budget analysis ("Sign Sign
Everywhere a Sign?
<http://ccarts.ca/en/documents/cca_federalbudgetanalysis_2007_en.pdf>
") seeks to capture this ambivalence, as there are a number of signs
that the government may be adopting a different federal approach to arts
and culture.

There are growing signs that the Conservative government favours a
greater role for the private sector in the cultural domain (e.g. the
newly created Canada's National Trust is to be managed and directed by
"private-sector individuals").  This orientation is in keeping with the
government's fall 2006 economic update. In its mid-to-long range fiscal
policy plan, entitled Advantage Canada
<http://www.ccarts.ca/en/advocacy/bulletins/5006.htm> , the
government commits that it will seek partnerships with the private
sector.

A perfect example of this orientation is to be found in the newly
created Canada's National Trust whose mandate is to promote heritage
protection. The government is only providing seed funding to the
organization, with long term funding expected to come through donations.
Moreover, the Fund is to be managed and directed by "private-sector
individuals." 

Adding to this sense of uncertainty is the seeming reduction in
openness and transparency in decision-making - e.g. the September 25,
2006 reallocation funding cuts to the Museums Assistance Program (MAP) -
and the propensity of the government to postpone decisions that are very
important for the sector - like the financing of the Canadian
Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) or the long-awaited new museum policy. 
The government still invokes the need for further studies and
evaluations before making clear what its cultural policies and
priorities will be.

In this context, it is difficult to feel reassured about the future of
federal cultural policy and programs.  As a result, this year's budget
analysis reiterates the key message of the analysis of last year: it is
more important than ever for those in the arts and culture sector to
impress upon the federal government the importance of cultural policy
for Canada and Canadians.

Tell Me More

The CCA urges you to read the full Budget Analysis
<http://ccarts.ca/en/documents/cca_federalbudgetanalysis_2007_en.pdf>
, which is divided into four broad sections.  The first examines "the
big picture" by discussing overall federal funding levels to key federal
cultural institutions.  This is where, for example, one finds increases
in funding for several organizations at very different levels - e.g.
51.4% for the Museum of Nature, under major renovations - to 4.1% for
the Museum of Civilization, also under an infrastructure program.  Other
examples: CBC's budget stays stable (+ 0.2%) while one sees simple
budget transfers from Telefilm Canada to the Canadian Television Fund. 

The second section focuses on the Department of Canadian Heritage, and
examines its organizational structure and program expenditures across
key areas of activity.  This part reveals increases often more apparent
than real, the overall funding of the Department remaining relatively
stable.

The third section undertakes a detailed analysis of expenditures across
cultural sub-sectors, bringing forward the main changes, challenges, and
opportunities.  This section shows the detailed fluctuations in the
budgets of each cultural sub-sector and suggests which files should be
looked at carefully over the coming year.  Not surprisingly, because of
the 2010 Winter Olympics, Sport is the sub-sector with the most
impressive increases.

The final section explores a number of developments in the arts and
culture sector beyond expenditures, and looks at other government-wide
initiatives with potential impacts on the sector.  This is where you
will find information on the Volunteer Initiative's demise, the Federal
Accountability Act and subsequent updates to the Lobbyist Registration
Act, the UNESCO Convention on Cultural diversity, etc. 

A Word on the Festivals Fund

In the 2007-2008 Budget, the Minister of Finance announced an
investment of $60M over two years for festivals across the country. 
This announcement has created much interest and raised many questions in
the weeks following, including an emerging controversy about the intent
of the program and the criteria and processes through which the money
would be attributed.

Based on what the CCA knows at this time, it appears that the program
announced in the March Budget is NOT meant to replace a similar one
abruptly cut by the previous Liberal government in the context of the
"sponsorship scandal" fallout.  Interestingly, responsibility for
developing the criteria and processes for the program has been given to
the Citizenship and Identity sector of Minister Oda's portfolio, not to
Arts and Culture. In any event, it seems highly unlikely that the $30 M
earmarked for the current fiscal year will be distributed before several
months, if at all in the current fiscal year. 

Alain Pineau 
National Director / Directeur général 
Canadian Conference of the Arts / Conférence canadienne des arts 
Tel: (613) 238-3561 ext. 12 / poste 12 
alain.pineau at ccarts.ca <mailto:alain.pineau at ccarts.ca>  | www.ccarts.ca
<http://www.ccarts.ca/> 

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