CCA Bulletin 12/11 - Off to the races! The CCA welcomes you to your 2011 general federal election!

Just the facts

On March 26, 2011, a day after a vote of no-confidence defeated the current Conservative minority government, the 2011 general federal election was called, ending weeks of rising political fervor and speculation. The Governor General dropped the writ this past Saturday sending us all to the polls on May 2nd.  In this bulletin, you will find:

• What you can expect from us in the next 35 days;

• An analysis of the state of culture related bills at the end of the 40th Parliament (with the exception of budget bills, which will be the object of a separate analysis).

CCA’s Election 2011 Plan

Over the next several weeks, the CCA will provide you with:

• An analysis of cultural spending under Canada’s 40th Parliament;
• A comparison of the federal parties’ platforms that have an impact on the arts, culture and heritage sector;
• A Doorstep Kit that will include questions you can use and adapt when engaging with your local candidates in order to gauge their approaches and that of their party with regards to arts and culture policy;
• Weekly election e-communiqués will provide you with media monitoring for arts and culture as the political parties campaign across Canada. We will also give you a weekly update of current events in the arts and culture sector in relation to the election. Look out for these each Friday throughout the campaign.
• Thinking Culture debate: On April 20th, in partnership with the University of Ottawa’s Centre for Continuing Education, Centre on Governance and School of Political Studies, the CCA is planning to host a debate among local political candidates to discuss their parties’ platforms on arts, culture and heritage. In order to involve our members across Canada, we will take questions via Twitter using hashtag #ccartsvote and on our blog. We will also post a summary the next day covering where the parties stand on the issue of culture.(more)

CCA Bulletin 11/11 - 2011 federal budget from the arts and culture perspective

Just the Facts

After releasing the 2011 Main Estimates several weeks ago, the Hon. Minister of Finance, James Flaherty, today tabled a much anticipated 2011 federal budget. Titled: The Next Phase of Canada’s Economic Action Plan: A Low-Tax Plan for Jobs and Growth, this is the first budget following the end of the government’s Economic Action Plan.

According to the government, the recession has ended, and thus, the economy no longer requires stimulus funding. The big question was whether the budget would offer enough goodies to at least one of the opposition parties to keep the government in power and avoid an election. As it turned out, all three parties, including the NDP, rejected the budget immediately and it is evident that Canadians will soon go to the ballot boxes.

Today, the CCA provides a first blush review of how the 2011 federal budget would have impacted Canada’s arts, culture and heritage sectors had it been passed.

Tell me more

The general thesis of the 2011 budget claims that the government will build on the success of the Economic Action Plan. Support for the creative economy in the Economic Action Plan amounted to $335 million in investment. According to the government, the next phase’s low-tax plan for jobs and growth will lay the foundation for long-term prosperity by supporting key drivers of economic growth – innovation, business investment, families, communities, education and training – in a responsible manner that preserves Canada’s fiscal advantage (59). (more)

CCA Bulletin 10/11 - An alliterated update: CRTC, C-470 and CETA

Just the Facts

CRTC - On March 7, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) approved BCE’s acquisition of CTVglobemedia (CTVgm) and laid out the benefits package and conditions linked to its approval. In its submission to the consultation on the sale of CTVgm to BCE, the Canadian Conference of the Arts (CCA) had 1) asked for a robust public benefits package for Canadians commensurate with the magnitude of the transaction; 2) raised concerns about the vertical integration of the Canadian broadcasting and multi-platform distribution companies which puts the latter in the driver’s seat. 

Bill C-470 (charitable status) is heading for second reading in the Senate today. It may reach Royal Assent before the writ drops… if an election is called at all! 

CETA negotiations are progressing but at a slower pace. The next round is set to take place in Ottawa on April 11. (more)

CCA Bulletin 9/11 - Revenue at risk through C-32: The CCA stands by its estimate of $126M a year

Just the facts

On February 7, 2011, the Canadian Conference of the Arts (CCA) published a bulletin presenting the revenue received by creators and other rights holders which are at risk if Bill C-32 is adopted without amendments.

In his March 3rd blog titled “The CCA's $126 Million Wheel of Fortune: Guessing at Bill C-32's Costs”, University of Ottawa Professor Michael Geist raised serious questions about the CCA’s credibility stating, among other things, that “the $126M does not stand up even to mild scrutiny” and that “key sources of ‘losses’ are simply fabrications.”

The CCA takes such accusations very seriously. In this bulletin, we will respond to all the main points raised in Professor Geist’s blog. We wish this bulletin were  more succinct, however, in order to re-establish facts and not just challenge them, it had to be lengthier.

• A general comment and a correction
• The broadcasting ephemeral exception
• The public performance of video in schools
• The private copying levy
• Education and fair dealing
• Potential revenue for photographers  

(more)

CCA Bulletin 8/11 - National Digital Strategy: the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage makes a series of recommendations

Just the Facts

Almost a year after it began its study of digital media, the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage has published its report Emerging and Digital Media: Opportunities and Challenges.

The context for the study relates to two earlier reports published by the committee: one on the impact of emerging and digital media on Canadian public broadcasting (CBC/Radio-Canada: Defining Distinctiveness in the Changing Media Landscape) and another on local television (Issues and Challenges Related to Local Television). In those studies, it was concluded that the developments in emerging and digital media are changing the environment for other cultural industries such as radio broadcasting, book publishing, magazine publishing, music publishing and film distribution. Given the rapidly changing media environment and the profound impact emerging and digital media are having on all aspects of culture, the committee decided that it should study the overall impact of emerging and digital media. (more)