CCA Election Monitor: Week 3

Following a historic non-confidence motion that brought down Canada’s 40^th Parliament, the 2011 federal election will take place on May 2. As part of our election coverage, the Canadian Conference of the Arts (CCA) will be producing a weekly media monitoring report that provides news stories, resources and event listings that are relevant to the arts, culture and heritage sector during this campaign period.

Please note that during the 2011 federal election, the CCA will operate under the Federal Election Rules of Engagement approved by the CCA Board of Governors. These rules reinforce the non-partisan character of the information and other services that the CCA will provide during the campaign.

We recently passed the midway point in the 2011 federal election campaign, and as of now, all of the major political parties have released their platforms. This was a particularly important week in the campaign as Gilles Duceppe, Stephen Harper, Michael Ignatieff and Jack Layton gathered in Ottawa for the much anticipated English and French-language leaders’ debates. Unfortunately, as has been the case throughout the campaign, arts and culture was not on the radar for the party leaders.

Media Monitoring

Bloc Québécois

Bloc Québécois Policy Statement – Parlons Qc

Bloc Québécois, April 2011

Bloc Québécois Election Platform – Parlons Qc (available in French only)

Bloc Québécois, April 2011

(Excerpts relevant to arts, culture and heritage on pages 26, 40-45 and 103)

 Conservative Party

Conservative Platform – Here for Canada

Conservative Party of Canada, April 2011

(Excerpts relevant to arts, culture and heritage on pages 15-16, 27 and 42-43)

 NDP

NDP Platform – Practical First Steps

New Democratic Party of Canada, April 2011

(Excerpts relevant to arts, culture and heritage on pages 15-16 and 18)

NDP election platform makes familiar promises on arts and culture

Georgia Straight, April 11, 2011

Jessica Werb

 Canada-EU trade negotiations

Federal election will impact Canada-EU trade talks

Embassy Magazine, April 6, 2011

Anca Gurzu

  

Copyright – C-32

Who wants to charge a $75 iPod tax? Uh, no one

CBCNews, April 12, 2011

Laura Payton

  

Advocacy

Débat des chefs: le MAL réclame des engagements en culture (available in French only)

Le Devoir, April 13, 2011

Leaders’ debate

If you happened to have missed either of the leaders’ debates, they are now available online.

English-language leaders’ debate

French-language leaders’ debate (English translation streamed)

Resources

Canadian Conference of the Arts

The major party platforms can all be found on the CCA’s 2011 election site under the heading “Parties and electoral platforms”. Today, the CCA also published a bulletin that compares these platforms in relation to several broad themes of interest to the cultural sector.

On April 5, the CCA sent the five leading federal political parties a copy of the questions found in our election Doorstep Kit. The Bloc Québécois, Green Party, Liberal Party and NDP have completed the questionnaire, which offers insight on their respective arts, culture and heritage platforms. Early next week, the CCA will publish a bulletin comparing the parties’ responses, in addition to an analysis of arts, culture and heritage funding under the 40^th Parliament.

  

Quill and Quire

Quill and Quire has published a useful primer comparing each political party’s arts and culture platform, taking in to account the issues affecting the publishing industry.

Publishing at the polls: Arts and culture platforms

 The Arts Advocate

The Arts Advocate has compiled an interesting report, Election 2011: Is arts and culture an issue?, that gauges the importance of cultural matters for Canadians voters. To obtain a copy of this report, visit the The Arts Advocate’s website.

Events

·         Election 2011: What about arts and culture?

Date: April 20, 2011

Time: 5 pm – 6:30 pm

Location: University of Ottawa, Desmarais Building

A part of our Thinking Culture forum series, the CCA will host a free bilingual debate with local election candidates, focusing on their arts, culture and heritage platforms. To date, confirmed participants include: Mauril Bélanger (Liberal candidate for Ottawa-Vanier), Paul Dewar (NDP candidate for Ottawa Centre) and Richard Nadeau (Bloc Québécois candidate for Gatineau). Visit our website for more information.

·         Winnipeg Federal Election Forum on Arts and Culture

Date: April 20, 2011

Time: Noon – 1:30 pm CST

Location: Manitoba Theatre for Young People

ArtsVote Winnipeg will host a federal election forum on arts and culture. Participants include Rod Bruinooge (Conservative candidate for Winnipeg South), Denali Enns (Green candidate for Charleswood - St. James - Assiniboia), Anita Neville (Liberal candidate for Winnipeg South Centre) and Pat Martin (NDP candidate for Winnipeg Centre). Visit the ArtsVote Winnipeg website for more information.