New Heritage Minister in Ottawa

Quebec MP Josée Verner has been named the new federal Heritage Minister, replacing Bev Oda who will move to Ms. Verner's old job as Minister for International Co-operation. Josée Verner has been Minister for International Co-operation and Minister for La Francophonie and Official Languages since February 2006. She was elected as an MP for the first time in January 2006 in the riding of Louis-St-Laurent, representing the northwest and central areas of Quebec City. Ms. Verner has spent close to 20 years in the communications and public service fields. She has worked for former Quebec Premier Robert Bourassa and for the deputy speaker of Québec’s National Assembly, and worked closely with the Ministry of Health and Social Services.

Money in federal budget for "strengthening our culture"

The federal budget presented on March 19 contains the following items under the "Strengthening our Culture" heading: 

• $30 million a year over 2 years to support local arts and heritage festivals that “engage Canadians in their communities through the expression, celebration and preservation of local culture”
• $5 million a year over 2 years for hiring student internships in museums
• Creating “Canada’s National Trust”, based on the successful model of the National Trust in the United Kingdom, which will operate independent of government and encourage Canadians to protect important lands, buildings and national treasures; by its third year in operation, the arms-length Trust’s budget will receive a $5 million annual federal allocation

Further information can be found on the federal website at www.budget.gc.ca/2007/index_e.html#2

New Heritage critic named

Liberal Party leader, Stephane Dion has named Tina Keeper as the Canadian Heritage critic. Ms. Keeper was first elected as the Member of Parliament for the northern Manitoba riding of Churchill in the January 2006 election. Born in Norway House, Manitoba, she is a member of the Norway House Cree Nation. Ms. Keeper is currently a full-time member of the federal standing committees on health and Canadian heritage and is active on the Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development committee as well. She served as the public health critic until being named heritage critic.

Canada Council to increase funding for project grants

The Canada Council for the Arts will increase its funding to arts organizations undertaking artistic production projects, including theatre, dance, opera and interdisciplinary productions, musical concerts, visual and media art exhibitions and literary publishing projects through a $1.5 million increase to the 2006-2007 budget for project grants. The increase, approved in late December, is in addition to a $1.2 million increase to the project grants budget in 2005-2006. The additional money will be divided among various project grant programs in all artistic disciplines and because the granting process for this year has already taken place, the money will be used to support projects which were highly recommended by Canada Council juries but were not initially funded.

Federal finance committee recommends increase in 2007 budget for Canada Council

On December 7, the Standing Committee on Finance released its report to the Minister of Finance, the Hon. James Flaherty, regarding its 2007 federal pre-budget consultations. Overall, the Committee has made forty-two recommendations about measures it would like to see reflected in the next federal budget. One recommendation includes the suggestion to “increase funds allocated to the arts and cultural sector. In particular, funding increases should be considered for the Canada Council for the Arts, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, the Canadian Television Fund, and Telefilm Canada . " Visit the CCA for detailed information.

$100 million for federally-owned culture institutions

In early December 2006, the Honourable Bev Oda, Minister for Canadian Heritage, and the Honourable John Baird, Treasury Board President, announced a large investment, to be spent over 3-5 years, in the infrastructure requirements for the federally-owned culture and heritage institutions. Approximately $100 million was announced for the Canada Science and Technology Museum, the Canadian Museum of Nature, the Canadian Museum of Civilization, the National Gallery of Canada, and the National Arts Centre. Mr. Baird stated that these were not new funds, but rather a redirection of reserved monies set aside for the refurbishment of federal buildings.

Canada Council announces plan for new federal money