Bill S-202

An Act to amend the Parliament of Canada Act (Parliamentary Visual Artist Laureate)

This enactment creates the position of Parliamentary Visual Artist Laureate. It also corrects a reference to the Canada Council for the Arts in the English version of the Parliament of Canada Act .

The House resumed from February 8 consideration of the motion that Bill S‑202, An Act to amend the Parliament of Canada Act (Parliamentary Visual Artist Laureate), be read the third time and passed.

Parliament of Canada Act

[John Aldag, Liberal, Cloverdale—Langley City, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleagues who spoke in favour of Bill S-202 today.

As we discuss what is hopefully the final version of Bill S-202, I am filled with a profound sense of pride in our nation's rich cultural heritage. Canadians have much to offer and, in honour of this, we ought to continue forward with the establishment of a parliamentary visual arts laureate.

Again, I would like to thank those who worked on and pushed for this legislation over many years. I thank Senator Patricia Bovey for her tremendous efforts in ensuring a genuine appreciation of the arts makes it to the House once more. I would like to thank Senator Wilfred Moore and Senator Andrew Cardozo, who have shown perseverance and commitment to this bill. Lastly, I would like to extend a heartfelt thanks to all who contributed to getting Bill S-202 to this stage.

The creation of the parliamentary visual arts laureate to go alongside the parliamentary poet laureate strengthens our recognition of the arts, while fostering a sense of pride for our country that Canadians express in the creation of their artwork. Even the very building we are in today is visited by people across Canada and from around the world for its beauty, artistic appeal and the history captured within its walls. There is no place better suited to support the continuing legacy of Canadian art through a resident artist than here.

Canada's stories, and our cultural and linguistic diversity are demonstrated in their most raw form when we, as parliamentarians, intentionally recognize our fellow citizens' abilities to strengthen our Canadian culture. When I worked as the Township of Langley's cultural services manager from 2019 to 2021, my discussions with artists heightened my understanding of how crucial art is to our resilience. Our communities flourish when we respect and encourage the creation of art within them. Art celebrates with us, mourns with us, encourages us and inspires us. Art captures moments of our history for reflection and lifts our spirits when we need to take the next step forward.

By supporting artists through the creation of a parliamentary visual artist laureate, we are taking the next step forward to ensure that Canada remains a beacon of artistic excellence for generations to come.

[Denis Trudel, Bloc, Longueuil—Saint-Hubert, QC]

Madam Speaker, as my colleague mentioned, Bill S‑202 has to do with the appointment of the parliamentary visual artist.

As I said earlier, I am a stage and film actor, as well as a fan of literature. I therefore agree that art should have a bigger place in our lives, even in Parliament. I could not agree with that more.

Today, I decided to treat myself because someone has expressed much better than I could the importance of literature and art in our lives. I am talking about David Goudreault, a slam performer and poet from Quebec. He has written a lot and has even won some awards. He was awarded the World Cup of Slam Poetry in Paris in 2011. Since then, he has been writing novels and continues to slam and do shows. We also see him on television, where he works as a commentator. His words are striking, touching, penetrating and impactful. He has a much better way with words than I do, and he wrote about how we should leave more room for art, poetry and literature in our lives.

That is why, today, I decided to treat myself and read one of David Goudreault's poems. I hope he will forgive me—

[Elizabeth May, Green, Saanich—Gulf Islands, BC]

Madam Speaker, I am honoured to take the floor this evening remotely. I want to signal to the member for Cloverdale—Langley City my support for the private member's bill, Bill S-202.

I appreciate it, because I remember the work that former senator Patricia Bovey did on this bill, and it seems such a shame that it slid off the Order Paper. I think the circumstances were unfortunate at that time. I will not go into the details, but I want to thank the hon. member for Cloverdale—Langley City for bringing it forward and for finding ways to bring forward our visual artists from various cultures and backgrounds, both francophone and, of course, the emphasis on our extraordinary indigenous artists.

Meegwetch.

[John Aldag, Liberal, Cloverdale—Langley City, BC]

Madam Speaker, first of all, I would like to thank my colleague for his passion for the arts and, obviously, for his commitment, over a lifetime, to arts in Canada.

The amendment that was brought forward by the Bloc in Bill S-202, to reflect the ongoing practices of Parliament in alternating between English and French, will do exactly that, should this amendment and this legislation as proposed be carried.

I think it is an important amendment to actually codify the practice that we have here in Parliament to make sure the cultural and the linguistic diversity is reflected in how the visual arts laureates are selected on an alternating two-year basis. I think that with the Bloc's input on this and with the support of other francophone members within this chamber, we will make sure that this linguistic and cultural diversity is reflected.

[Denis Trudel, Bloc, Longueuil—Saint-Hubert, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his wonderful speech.

This bill may not look like much, but appointing a visual artist is quite important. We already have a poet in the House. Obviously, as an actor, as an artist who has worked in television, theatre and film, I am going to applaud having more arts in this Parliament. In fact, I will have a chance to talk about that shortly.

However, there is one little detail I want to talk about. We should make sure that Bill S‑202 includes alternating appointments. If an English-speaking visual artist is appointed, a francophone must follow. At this time, Bill S‑202 does not include such a provision.

I would like to know if my colleague agrees with that.

[John Aldag, Liberal, Cloverdale—Langley City, BC]

moved that Bill S-202, an act to amend the Parliament of Canada Act (Parliamentary Visual Artist Laureate), be read the third time and passed.

Madam Speaker, it is a great honour to rise again in the House and speak to Bill S-202, an act to amend the Parliament of Canada Act to establish a parliamentary visual artist laureate.

As mentioned in my speech during second reading, I want to thank former senator Patricia Bovey for all her hard work in getting this bill through the Senate and to the House this last time.

I am also incredibly grateful to former senator Wilfred Moore for his initial push of work on this legislation in 2016.

I also want to thank Senator Andrew Cardozo for stepping forward and offering assistance should the need arise to return this bill back to the other place to consider amendments that are now before the House.

These three senators are each strong champions of the arts, and each deeply understands the need for this legislation. I am truly honoured to be working with these three senators on this bill to ensure that the Canadian arts are featured prominently through the parliamentary visual artist laureate. This position would arise from the successful passage of the bill, as amended at the Canadian heritage committee.

I will note that the heritage committee made two amendments to the bill at committee stage. While I believe both amendments were covered in the original form of the legislation, they further clarify two aspects.

Following consultation with the above three senators, who in turn have consulted with the larger arts community, we have accepted the validity of these two amendments and ask the House to formally adopt them as part of the legislation that is once again before us.

In a previous session, when this bill was known as Bill S-205, the members of this House delivered many excellent speeches when they debated the legislation. It is clear that, in the three times this bill has been before the Senate and the House, it has had overwhelming support from parliamentarians in both chambers. There have been a lot of positive discussions on Bill S-202 to date, with my colleagues from all parties providing supportive statements during this Parliament’s second reading of the bill, as well as during the committee stage.

Bill S-202 is about supporting Canadian art and artists. The arts community was hard hit economically during the COVID-19 pandemic but is slowly recovering from that time. The arts provided a respite to Canadians during that challenging time in our country’s recent past. During my time away from this place between 2019 and 2021, I worked for the Township of Langley as the cultural services manager, where I had the opportunity to work very closely with the arts community. I have always understood the importance of the arts, but it was during the pandemic that I truly came to understand how essential artists are to the well-being of society.

For over 150 years, Canadian artists have influenced Canadian culture and its beautiful microcultures. Acclaimed and beloved artists such as Emily Carr, Kenojuak Ashevak, George Campbell Tinning, Claude Vermette, Jack Chambers, and Maud Lewis illustrated their experiences, desires and perceptions with exhilarating grit and comforting beauty. They all worked to elevate cross-cultural understanding, curiosity, unity and proud expressions of Canadian culture.

To make a position within Parliament specifically for artists to create in, just as many Canadians before them have done outside of these parliamentary walls, honours the creativity and perseverance of Canadians. Along with these well-known artists, I believe we can all name more than one inspiring artist in our own home community, demonstrating how art is embedded in all our communities across Canada.

George Elliott Clarke, our parliamentary poet laureate from 2016-17, wrote the following poem in support of this legislation for Senator Bovey. I apologize to the interpreters, who will have to do this on the fly.

The poem is as follows:

The blank page—the blank canvas is—
Undeniably delicious—
Like fog, which obscures, then reveals—
What Hope imminently congeals—
A fantastic architecture—
Imagination born secure:
What Vision—the I of the eye—
Had dreamt, is What answering Why. . ..
Rainbows erupt from paint or ink—
And film sculptures light—in a blink;
A needle, weaving, is lyric,
And whatever is shaped is epic.
Art's each I articulate,
Whose vision ordains a laureate.

As a reminder to my colleagues, Bill S-202 seeks to amend the Parliament of Canada Act to create the position of parliamentary visual artist laureate. The parliamentary visual artist laureate would be an officer of the Library of Parliament, akin to the position of the parliamentary poet laureate. The selection process for this role would consist of the Speaker of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Commons acting in tandem to select artists to reflect Canada’s linguistic and cultural diversity.

The mandate for the parliamentary visual artist laureate is to promote the arts in Canada through Parliament, including by fostering knowledge, enjoyment, awareness and development of the arts. In carrying out this mandate, the laureate may “produce or cause to be produced artistic creations, at the request of either Speaker, especially for use in Parliament on occasions of state”.

A two-year period is in place for this position, as is in place for the poet laureate, with the intention of rotating different ideas and perspectives, ensuring that multiple voices and approaches are heard and seen.

As mentioned in the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage, the important consideration here is that this position would become a part of the institution of Parliament and would be here for the long term. Having that longevity, that permanence, would allow for the arts to reflect various aspects of current and future Canadian culture, including the experiences of everyone from around the world that has come to call Canada home.

Canadian artists from across the country, whether lifelong Canadians, immigrants, indigenous peoples or others, will benefit from having a parliamentary visual artist laureate in Ottawa. The appreciation of the arts unites us, and in a multicultural country such as Canada, we should promote our many different forms of art at every opportunity.

Senator Bovey had a long and wondrous career as a visual arts curator, a director of several major Canadian art galleries, a professor and an author before joining the Canadian Senate in November 2016. She carried that passion for the arts with her during her tenure as a senator, and she continues her advocacy today, reminding us that the arts are a critical part of living and realizing Canada's diversity.

In her maiden speech in the Senate in 2016, Senator Bovey said, “The arts play an uncontestable and considerable role in all aspects of society”. As chair of the Standing Committee on Indigenous and Northern Affairs, I would like to build on Senator Bovey's statement. The role that the arts can play in society includes building relationships and knowledge with indigenous nations.

Indigenous artists are arguably the best-known Canadian artists outside Canada. As we look toward reconciliation and renewing relationships with indigenous peoples, I want to remind everyone of what Senator Bovey said in 2016. She indicated, “The power of the arts is infinite.... The arts are letting the world know who Canadians are, where we are and what we value”.

For my colleagues who may not have noticed it, I mentioned future Canadian culture. The next generations of youth are Canada's future, and art is a critical component in engaging with, teaching and learning from our youth.

As a witness in heritage committee, former senator Bovey stated:

The visual arts also have the power to teach and inspire. I believe the visual artist laureate will be a bridge to our youth regarding the role of democracy, the workings of Parliament and your commitments, and will assist in addressing the gap in knowledge about civics. It would be a connector across this country and across generations, and open doors to bring us together at a time when that has never been needed more.

Art, as a mirror of society, is not a lie, an exaggeration or a fleeting, impermanent digital commentary. It is permanent, good and an important part of our heritage and ongoing history, portraying honestly what we are and what we are thinking.

I want to take a moment to thank the members of the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage for their careful consideration of Bill S-202 and for putting forth two previously referenced amendments that enshrine our commitment to diversity and equality of opportunity for all artists.

Similar to the position of the Poet Laureate, the selected visual artist laureate would alternate every two years between someone who works primarily in English and someone who works primarily in French. With the first amendment accepted, the committee is ensuring a reflection of Canada's linguistic reality in the position of the parliamentary visual artist laureate. I thank my French-speaking colleagues for their clarification of current practices of the House by making sure French Canadians are equally represented as the parliamentary visual artist laureate through this amendment.

I also want to thank the heritage committee for amending Bill S-202 to ensure digital creations are included in the definition of “arts”. While the original legislation included reference to future art forms and would have included digital creations, this amendment solidifies digital creations as a legitimate art form. As more and more artists express an interest in digital media, we must ensure that digital creations are included to reflect the diversity of Canada through this evolving art form.

As Senator Moore said in his final speech in the Senate in 2016, when the legislation was known as Bill C-234, the position of parliamentary visual artist laureate would augment the Poet Laureate's office and expand the types of artistic expression that depict Canada both at home and abroad. The federal government has actively promoted the arts since the Massey Commission in 1949, which recommended that federal funding be made available for a wide range of cultural activities.

The Massey Commission stated that “it is in the national interest to give encouragement to institutions which express national feeling, promote common understanding and add to the variety and richness of Canadian life”. I want to note that the Massey Commission recommended the founding of the National Library, the National Gallery and the Canada Council for the Arts; we readily founded these institutions to support the artistic expression of Canada.

I wholeheartedly agree with Senator Moore that the expansion of artistic creativity deserves recognition in Parliament. As the former senator noted, our chambers of Parliament are defined not just by those of us sitting in its hallowed halls, but also by the artwork hanging on the walls that remind us daily of the sacrifice of those who built this nation. Canada has so many talented artists, and it is time we celebrate these visual artists and their contributions to our culture and the expression of who we are.

As we discuss Bill S-202 during its third reading, for its third time in the House, I urge my colleagues from all parties to support this bill and to vote in favour of its passage. Let us show our support for the arts across this beautiful and diverse country.

[The Deputy Speaker, Conservative, Chris d'Entremont]

The House will now proceed to the taking of the deferred recorded division on the motion to concur in Bill S-202.

The House resumed from November 3, 2023 consideration of Bill S-202, An Act to amend the Parliament of Canada Act (Parliamentary Visual Artist Laureate), as reported (with amendments) from the committee.

Canadian Heritage

[Hedy Fry, Liberal, Vancouver Centre, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the seventh report of the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage in relation to Bill S-202, an act to amend the Parliament of Canada Act (Parliamentary Visual Artist Laureate).

The committee has studied the bill and has decided to support the bill back to the House, with amendments.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

We've agreed on that.

Thank you very much. We've finished with Bill S-202.

I have Mr. Champoux.

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

The motion to adjourn debate is carried. We shall move now back to Bill S-202.

Shall clause 2 carry?

(Clause 2 agreed to)

Shall the title carry?

[Martin Champoux, Bloc, Drummond, QC]

Madam Chair, we can continue to debate the relevance of Ms. Thomas' motion until the end of the meeting.

I find it inappropriate to interrupt a process that is proceeding at a good speed. We would have plenty of time to start discussing her motion immediately afterwards. We could finish studying Bill S‑202, thank our guests and move on.

I think it would be respectful of the process, respectful of the committee and respectful of the people who have come here today to debate this if Ms. Thomas would agree to suspend the meeting for a few minutes while we finish passing this bill. That would take three minutes.

[Martin Champoux, Bloc, Drummond, QC]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Actually, we had discussed this a bit at the last meeting when we talked about Bill S‑202.

I had expressed the wish that a more precise place be given to the two official languages and that...

[The Chair, Liberal, Hedy Fry]

I'm hoping somebody could ask to suspend, so we can move into the next session of our work agenda, which is Bill S-202.

Marilyn.