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| Federal Election Action Plan | | | September 30, 2008 Federal Election Action Plan: Make museum funding an election issue• Bring the issues to your local candidates (see notes below) at all-candidates meetings and debates, radio call-in shows, ‘Meet the candidate’ receptions. Check your local newspapers or go to the website of your local candidates’ websites to find out about the scheduling of these events in your area.
• Use the CBC's Election Debate on October 2nd, to ask a question that matters to you. The CMA has posted a list of questions to ask National Party Leaders here. Submit a question for the debate before October 2nd 2008, by emailing question@electiondebate08.ca
• Register your individual concern about recent federal cultural spending cuts, by signing the online petition being circulated by the Professional Association of Canadian Theatres (PACT)
KEY MESSAGES TO LOCAL CANDIDATES
There is a strong need for a new National Museums Policy.
The CMA provides concise points and excellent background information to help us all use the federal election to better advocate for our sector:
Key Messages (CMA Sept 08)
National Museum Policy Documents (CMA)
To summarize:
• Our only federal funding is through ad hoc programs, and programs are constantly being cut or cancelled.
• In the last election, all the major parties agreed that a new Museums Policy and more funding was necessary.
• The current museums policy was introduced in 1972. Its concepts and funding parameters are nearly 40 years out of date.
• A clear policy and federal support for the cultural and arts sector creates a better understood cultural identity for Canada, both at home and around the world.
Our local museum or gallery is important to our community!
Remind your local candidates of the meaning and importance of your site to the community. The following are some talking points suggested by the CMA for this purpose:
• Our local museum is popular within our community and to tourists (provide evidence, ie. total visits per year, number of tourists, etc.)
• Our museum attracts businesses to invest in this community (give examples) and enhances our quality of life. It is a “must see” attraction for tourists and serves as a centre of meaning, learning and exchange for the local community (xx number of tourists, xx school tours, etc.)
• Museums are an important part of branding a community and setting it apart from others. This helps in marketing the community at home and internationally.
Canadian Attitudes to Museums and Public Policy - Public Opinion Survey (CMA)
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Pre-election funding cuts to arts & culture
- Proposed cuts to CAHSP affect revenue-generation, strategic planning, and organizational development projects for museums, galleries and other cultural institutions
- 2006 cut to Museum Assistance Program ($4.6M) affects project funding
- Exhibition Transportation Services abolished
- National Portrait Gallery is without a home
- PromArt Program, first reduced by $5.9 million in 2006, will be completely abolished at the end of the current fiscal year ($4.7M).
- TradeRoutes, a program promoting our culture abroad, has been axed ($9 million).
- E-Culture programme, including the Canadian Cultural Observatory, has been abolished ($4.4 million)
- Budgets for cultural statistics at Statistics Canada have been reduced.
Total cuts = $45 million
Party electoral platforms on arts & culture
Federal Parties' Electoral Platforms on Arts & Culture
Federal Election 2008 - What to Ask Candidates Part 1 (CCA)
Federal Election 2008 - What to Ask Candidates Part 2 (CCA)
Globe and Mail article Sept 20: Dion makes $530-million in promises for arts, culture
Toronto Star article Sept 23: Layton vows to restore arts funding
For more information and background:
Canadian Museums Association Election Toolkit
Canada Council for the Arts - Election 2008
Council of Canadians webpage about arts funding
This article was prepared, in part, with information from the Canadian Museums Assocation website, and Canadian Conference for the Arts e-Bulletins and webpage.Contact:
Marie G. Lalonde
Executive Director
ONTARIO MUSEUM ASSOCIATION
Toll free (ON) : 1-866-OMA-8672
Tel: 416-348-8672
mlalonde@museumsontario.com | | |
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