Canadian Heritage committee  Thank you, Madam Chair. Thank you, all.

Canadian Heritage committee  Thank you. I'll be quick. I agree with what Mr. Aldag said. Indigenous visual art forms across this country are diverse. They're rich and amazing, and I am very hopeful that indigenous artists will come forward to become our visual artist laureate. I work very closely with them.

Canadian Heritage committee  I thank you.

Canadian Heritage committee  If you're asking me, the answer is yes. I've looked at various countries. I've looked at the States. I've looked at children's drawing laureates. I've looked at the City of Toronto. The City of Victoria did a wonderful one for Canada 150. They actually had two indigenous visual a

Canadian Heritage committee  It's because we were doing this as an amendment with the poet laureate, which has a two-year time frame. The idea is rotating different ideas and different perspectives so that it has multiple voices and multiple approaches.

Canadian Heritage committee  Yes.

Canadian Heritage committee  I've had huge support from artists in all disciplines—visual arts disciplines and other disciplines. They understand the international linguistic power of the visual arts, which transcends words. That's been very much recognized. Quite honestly, they say, if Parliament can suppo

Canadian Heritage committee  Some of the arts councils do. Several cities do, but this is the first for Canada this way. I've had people tell me from very.... I have been meeting with some of the provincial art councils in the last few months. They're looking at this as artists in residence. We have galler

Canadian Heritage committee  Thank you.

Canadian Heritage committee  If I may jump in, yes, that's an inclusive list of art forms and, as we know, art forms always change. Digital art is absolutely critical. There are printmakers who engage in digital forms. You have photography there. You have videography. You have filmmaking. I think it's all im

Canadian Heritage committee  Do you want me to weigh in? I would be happy to.

Canadian Heritage committee  One of the big benefits is going to be the work that's created, which will go into the Library of Parliament and become a tangible aspect of the heritage of Parliament itself. This is an amendment to the bill so, as we understood it to be and were assured it would be, it's as per

Canadian Heritage committee  Sir, if I may, I lived and worked in British Columbia for 20 years as director of the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria, and I did a lot of work in the British Columbian francophone community and have worked with artists of all disciplines and all diversities. I think you'll find

Canadian Heritage committee  I certainly appreciate where you're coming from. I think it's hard to quantify in advance that a person should do one, two or five pieces, because we don't know what discipline they're going to be working in. I think the bill does state they are to “produce or cause to be produc

Canadian Heritage committee  Thank you, Ms. Hepfner. Thank you, Mr. Aldag. This is a really important opportunity for Parliament to showcase the discussions that are being had, the societal issues that are being discussed, using that international language of visual art to engage Canadians, immigrants and