QUESTION PERIOD — Ministry of Canadian Heritage
Canada Arts Presentation Fund
December 6, 2023
Good afternoon, minister. Welcome to the Senate. It is my turn to congratulate you on defending your right to use French everywhere in Parliament. You’re an example that I hope all parliamentarians in Canada will follow.
Minister, in the recent economic update, we learned that the government plans to cut the once-a-year transfer of $8 million to the Canada Arts Presentation Fund, or CAPF, a program that enables artists to go into communities and that gives Canadians access to the arts and creative work.
This is a surprising announcement, given that the performing arts community is still struggling to recover from the effects of the pandemic. Experts estimate that it will take another two years for the industry to return to its pre-pandemic state. Through its #FutureOfLIVE campaign, the Canadian Association for the Performing Arts has been calling for months for the government to make permanent that $8 million in funding for the CAPF.
Minister, at a time when needs are so pressing, can you reassure these organizations by confirming that the federal government will help them? Will the 2024-25 federal budget provide for additional ongoing funding for the CAPF?
Thank you for your question. As you put it so well, the performing arts were among the hardest hit by the pandemic because people could no longer get together. To this day, theatres and festivals are still struggling to get back to the same attendance levels. That’s why the cultural sector is one of the sectors for which the government extended COVID support measures even after health restrictions had been lifted.
I’m well aware of the challenges facing this sector. I’ve had the pleasure of meeting with stakeholders who are calling for more funding. We’re going to see what we can do to continue supporting this sector of the economy, which is so important to many communities. It’s the local festivals and cultural activities that attract and sustain commerce and tourism every season.
I’m well aware of all that. The government has been there and will continue to do its utmost to support the performing arts sector across the country.
Thank you for your answer. You and I both know that the performing arts are a vehicle for identity and culture, and a true force for bringing communities across the country together. At a time when Canada is seeing troubling hate movements target its minorities, I believe that the performing arts are part of the solution. They foster dialogue and openness to diversity in the same way as cultural diplomacy.
Could you tell us how you and the federal government see the role of the performing arts in Canada, economically, of course, but also as a social binding agent that fosters better cohesion between communities?
You’ve touched on a lot of my own concerns, and that’s exactly what I hope to do with the arts community over the next few months and years. The pandemic certainly exacerbated people’s isolation and loneliness. It is essential that we create gathering places and events where people can get together and talk, and where we can forge connections between various communities. I’m convinced that culture and the arts can contribute to social cohesion and the discovery of other realities that we need.
