CCA Bulletin 34/11 - Standing Committee on Finance Report and the Arts

The Standing Committee on Finance presented last week a report on its pan-Canadian consultations. The Canadian Conference of the Arts was the first of five cultural organizations to appear before the Committee. This report comprises 53 proposals targeting four areas: federal finances, businesses, communities and individuals.

In the introduction, the Committee describes arts and culture as one of the factors contributing to the strength of a community. Additionally, three pages out of this 77-page report are dedicated to arts and culture, thereby placing the sector on par with the principal players in the Canadian economy. This chapter presents a very good summary of the presentations made by witnesses but, unfortunately, the Committee’s report did [more]

CCA Bulletin 33/11 FROM THE DESK OF Alain Pineau: A little of this, a little of that . . .

Well, this week has been a little different than others. For once, I was able to put aside my primary preoccupation of the last few months – the reinvention and financial autonomy of the CCA (I will come back to that at the end of this bulletin!) – to participate in other forums where the stakes were just as important. [more]

Federal budget: Economic and Fiscal Update and the Second Set of Supplementary Estimates

Last week, the government released its Update of Economic and Fiscal Projections. One main message emerged from the document:  owing to continued weakness in the global economy, downward revisions for economic growth in Canada and considerable economic uncertainty going forward, the government will not return to fiscal balance until 2015-2016, a year later than projected in Budget 2011.

This does not alter the seriousness and resolve of the government to adhere to the Strategic and Operating Review process, through which it aims to identify $4 billion in annual ongoing reductions in expenditures by 2014-2015. At the heart of this process, all federal organizations must identify five and ten-percent funding reduction scenarios (see the CCA’s 2011-12 Federal Budget Analysis for full details of the review process).

The government also announced that it is reducing the maximum potential increase in Employment Insurance premium rates in 2012 to five cents (down from 10 cents) and is extending the Work-Share Program enhancement, which provides an extension of up to 16 weeks for work-sharing agreements.[more]

CCA Bulletin 30/11 - Bill C-11, the Legislative Committee Has Been Struck

It is Halloween: what could be more terrifying than to speak of copyright! So here is the bulletin promised in our last missive.

Just the facts

Several names were circulating for a few days and as per its obligation to name committee members within five days of the start of the second reading debates, the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs has established the Legislative Committee on Bill C-11. The committee is made up of 12 members and cannot begin its work before the House passes the motion in second reading. By this time, the House Speaker will have named the committee chair who will not be any of the twelve M.P.s identified below. Only four of the C-11 committee members, three of whom represent the governmental party, were part of the C-32 committee. [more]

CCA Bulletin 29/11 FROM THE DESK of Alain Pineau: What is happening with the CCA?

I am back from pre-consultation sessions in Toronto and Montréal, with my head full of the several expressions of support and the constructive suggestions offered, and I realize that I have not communicated with you in a long time.  I can assure you that it is not because we have been idle at the CCA during the past month, far from it! I will come back to the consultation process at the end of this bulletin, but first, here is a quick wrap-up of highlights of what’s been happening in Parliament and at the CCA. [more]

REMINDER! Deadline for CCA Award Nominations is Nigh.

All CCA members are invited to present nominations for the 2011 Diplôme d'honneur and the Keith Kelly Award for Cultural Leadership.[more]

Thnking Culture Forum on Oct 11, 2011 - Culture and Sustainable Communities

Come and join us for an overview of the conceptual issues facing municipalities working to integrate culture into sustainability plans, along with a brief discussion about how Agenda 21 for Culture is unfolding in European cities. Closer to home, attendees will gain an understanding of Quebec municipalities’ experience implementing Agenda 21 for Culture. [more]