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More News...
July 01, 2010
Canada Day Celebrations on Parliament Hill
February 11, 2010
Opening of La Place de la Francophonie
November 20, 2009
Occasion of the conference on The Economic Crisis and the Cultural Sector organized by Culture Montréal
November 13, 2009
Occasion of a keynote luncheon speech at the Calgary Chamber of Commerce
September 09, 2009
Celebration of the 40th anniversary of the Official Languages Act and an announcement regarding the Language Rights Support Program
July 31, 2009
Canada Music Fund
June 04, 2009
Announcement of Funding for the Dominion Institute's Memory Project: Stories of the Second World War
April 06, 2009
On the Signing of the Canada-British Columbia Agreement on Official Languages 2009-2010 - 2010-2011
April 03, 2009
Jules-Verne High School
March 09, 2009
Canada Media Fund
March 08, 2009
20th Festival du Bois
February 07, 2009
Launch of Spirit of BC Week
February 17, 2009
On the occasion of the Creation of the Canada Periodical Fund
January 13, 2009
The launch of the 2009 Canada Day Poster Challenge
January 12, 2009
Sir John A. Macdonald Day Celebrations
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Speeches
Occasion of the conference on The Economic Crisis and the Cultural Sector organized by Culture Montréal
Montréal, Quebec
November 20, 2009 CHECK AGAINST DELIVERY Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. It's always a pleasure for me to return to Montreal and to reconnect with key members of the local and national cultural community. I'd like to take this opportunity to congratulate Simon Brault on the success of his book, Le facteur C. I agree with his view that arts and culture will play a central role in our future. You are probably familiar, as I am, with the results of last summer's HEC study on the impact of the economic crisis on Quebec's cultural sector. I'd like to welcome Johanne Turbide and André Courchesne, who will be presenting their report today. I'd like to start with a presentation to give you an idea of the current state of Canada's cultural sector. (4 minute presentation) The cultural sector has an impact on every province and territory in Canada, and on communities of all sizes. Montréal residents understand the importance of a dynamic artistic community. The work of Culture Montréal and of everyone who took part in the 2007 conference, Montréal, Cultural Metropolis; the creation of the Quartier des spectacles; the presence of leading arts training schools--these are just a few indicators of the important place culture holds in the hearts of Montréalers. And this is just as true in the rest of Quebec. Indeed, many cities throughout the province offer unique cultural activities. Québec City, for example, is known around the world for its winter carnival and its summer festival. Trois Rivières--a Cultural Capital of Canada this year--has become the place for poetry, while movie buffs flock to Rouyn Noranda to attend the only film festival of its kind in Canada. These are just a few examples of how you support the creative economy. You have a lively cultural sector that makes your city and your province a great place to live and work. And I would go one step further: your arts community helps attract and retain the kind of enterprising and energetic individuals who make communities across Quebec successful. I would like to thank the Culture Montréal and the HEC for providing me with this opportunity to discuss what our Government has done in support of arts and culture in Canada, and to outline where we intend to go. We are currently experiencing a real transformation in the world of communications. This transformation, together with the period of economic uncertainty, has shaken up usual business models. I have been the Minister responsible for Canadian Heritage for one year. Many things have happened in the course of this year, particularly in the cultural sector. My very first undertaking was to hold round tables, and the first of these took place here, in Montréal, with the help of Simon Brault. During that meeting, you told me that you wanted protected investments and access to stable, long-term funding--two things that we have achieved. This year, we have seen Canadians turning more and more to portable devices to surf the Internet and watch what they want, when they want. They are consuming more media content than ever, often through means that didn't exist just a few years ago. Technologically speaking, the pace of change is incredible. What was cutting-edge technology just a couple of years ago has quickly become mainstream. All of this has had implications for arts and culture, and how our Government supports them. Over the last year, we've been charting a course that will allow our creative industries to navigate the changing landscape. We have modernized several programs. Of course, we continue to support traditional business models where it makes sense. But we also want to encourage the sector to take advantage of emerging platforms. For instance, the Canada Media Fund is the result of the merging of two programs. This innovative public-private partnership will support an effective modern approach for the production and distribution of Canadian programs on all platforms. In the coming year, our Government will invest $310 million toward this goal. We have recently announced funding for programs that support Canadian music, periodicals, and books, with an emphasis on digital technologies. Canadians want access to products like these, whether they are conventional or virtual. We have changed our arts support programs so that Canadians can continue to have access to arts events. At the same time, we have made changes to help our cultural industries gain a presence in international markets and on digital platforms. Our Government wants to ensure that our legislative and regulatory approach supports private enterprise. We want Canadian businesses to be able to make the most of the digital revolution, when it comes to both intellectual property and the consumption and distribution of products. That is why, over the summer, we organized consultations across Canada on the subject of copyright reform, which included a public forum here in Montréal. Digital technology has allowed us to make Canada a hub for innovation. And all the parties involved are responsible for realizing this potential. Canada can and should be at the forefront of the digital revolution. The changes that have taken place in the world of communications allow us to open ourselves up to the world, to market our creations, and to see our ideas take flight. Forget the market of 30 million Canadians or 300 million Americans. New technology allows us to sell our products to consumers the world over. This is crucial for Francophone artists and creators, who are able to reach consumers not only in French-speaking Canada, but throughout the international Francophonie. I believe that Canada's creative industries have huge possibilities before them. To take advantage of these, we have to welcome the digital revolution with open arms. When we speak about innovation, I think of Canada's National Film Board (NFB), which is doing some great work. Last year, it put the better part of 900 films online free of charge. And just recently, the NFB launched its free iPhone application. The Virtual Museum of Canada is another example of technology serving the interests of all Canadians. So, as I've said, we've modernized our cultural programs with a view to embracing the opportunities of multi-media platforms. Our support is not a handout. It is a wise investment in Canada's economic and cultural future. More Canadians enjoying more arts and culture means increased economic activity for the sector and for Canada as a whole. That's why, in Canada's Economic Action Plan, we announced that we would invest more than half a billion dollars in arts and culture. This includes investments that go directly to our country's artists and cultural organizations. It also includes $60 million over two years to support the improvement, renovation, and construction of arts and heritage facilities. For example, our Government has invested over $2 million in the Théatre de La Manufacture for the expansion of the Théâtre La Licorne and nearly $2 million to upgrade the Théâtre du Nouveau Monde. We have contributed nearly $3.5 million to the Society for Arts and Technology to expand its building and buy specialized equipment. Once it is complete, this project will give Canadians an independent, international centre dedicated to the development, research, training, and distribution of digital culture in the heart of the Quartier des spectacles. In addition to this, this year alone, our Government has announced more than $875 million in renewed arts and culture spending over the next five years. Locally, this funding is providing support to organizations that contribute to this city's cultural vitality. I am thinking of the arts training schools, such as the National Theatre School of Canada, the National Circus School, and the École nationale de l'humour. And to mark the Canada Council for the Arts' 50th anniversary, we committed to providing it with the highest level ever of government support through a 20% increase to its budget since 2006. Allow me to repeat myself: in the last four budgets, our Government has continually increased its support for arts and culture. With the kind of ongoing investments our Government is providing, artists and arts organizations can plan their activities for the longer term and continue to present works that make all Canadians proud. As we invest across the country, we will look to all Canadians--including the members of Culture Montréal--to keep supporting a sector that contributes so much to our society, to our economy, and to our competitiveness in a global and digital world. In closing, here is an illustration of how our Government invests in many of our cultural industries (show map):
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