Canadian Heritage Committee on May 4th, 2015

[Parise Mongrain]

We are also aware that, to some extent, our community is quite closed. I don’t think we are very well known. The committee can attest to that. The specific nature of dance as a profession is not known. The DTRC became the trustee of the Monaco Declaration. It would be good for Canada to embrace that declaration.

[Stéphane Dion, Liberal, Saint-Laurent—Cartierville, QC]

What would that change?

[Parise Mongrain]

There would be awareness. Once training schools are funded, if we want Canadian dancers to excel, we need to realize that they must be supported throughout their careers and that it is normal to do so.

[Stéphane Dion, Liberal, Saint-Laurent—Cartierville, QC]

What did the government say when you made that proposal?

[Parise Mongrain]

We have not made it, as far as I know.

[Stéphane Dion, Liberal, Saint-Laurent—Cartierville, QC]

So we heard it first.

[Parise Mongrain]

Exactly. We are putting the ball in your court.

[Stéphane Dion, Liberal, Saint-Laurent—Cartierville, QC]

Okay.

Your second recommendation reads as follows:

It is recommended that [the] Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage ensures the political will of the Canadian government to support the Dancer Transition Resource Centre.

Why do we need that? Do you not feel you are supported by the government?

[Amanda Hancox]

As I mentioned earlier, it's just that we are not sure where we are going to fit. The Canada arts training program says it doesn't see how we fit into the program anymore. So it's just a way of saying we would hope the government would say this work is important, and that it needs to fit somewhere.

We have been remarkably supported thus far. It's only in the last year that we have moved from multiple-year funding to one-year funding. They have had no issue at all with the work we do or our mandate. I think they're just saying it doesn't really fit in their program and it's just leaving us nervous about what would happen.

[Stéphane Dion, Liberal, Saint-Laurent—Cartierville, QC]

You want us to ask the government to make you less nervous, more confident?

[Amanda Hancox]

I mean not only us but the entire dance industry.

[The Chair, Conservative, Gord Brown]

We're going to move to Mr. Yurdiga for seven minutes, and then that will be it.

[David Yurdiga, Conservative, Fort McMurray—Athabasca, AB]

I'd like to thank the witnesses for being here today on this very important study.

My first question is to Ms. Cornell. I'm very interested in hearing more about the temporary foreign worker program in the dance sector. Could you please explain how international dancers contribute to the Canadian dance sector and how, in turn, the inclusion of these international dancers benefits Canadians?

[Kate Cornell]

Absolutely.

I want to begin by speaking about international dancers working in Canadian dance companies with our incredible schools. The Canadian Heritage program supports training at 14 extraordinary schools, including the National Ballet School of Canada, which you heard from today. They are so good that they attract international students. Those international students train alongside Canadians, and Canadian artistic directors come in and watch the classes. Those students come and they audition, and when a choreographer finds a dancer that they want to work with, as I said in my presentation, they don't ask about their passports.

Having these international dancers is of great benefit to demonstrate the world-class level of Canadian dance and to bring in different styles, different ways of working, and the work of other choreographers as well. It really represents the lack of borders in dance and how there's a lot of movement with Canadian dancers working for a few years in Germany and then coming back and vice versa.

For audiences it is incredibly exciting to see that diversification of the Canadian population represented on the stage. Their ability to dance and their ability to dance the work of that choreographer are incredibly exciting to see on the stage.

I think having that exchange of dancers and not limiting our choreographers but allowing them to work with the dancers they want to work with benefits Canadians.

[David Yurdiga, Conservative, Fort McMurray—Athabasca, AB]

Thank you.

Just to elaborate on that, how many international performers are performing in Canada at this point? Obviously, it's a very important part of your organization.

[Kate Cornell]

Absolutely. As I mentioned in the beginning, I have about 100 member organizations. I don't have exact statistics, but I can definitely get you those numbers. For example, Les Grands Ballets Canadiens I believe has close to 30 temporary foreign workers.

[Parise Mongrain]

Some of them are already Canadian citizens or permanent residents, but the fact remains that Les Grands Ballets Canadiens has four Canadians.

[A voice]

How many are there in total?

[Parise Mongrain]

There are 36 dancers.

[Kate Cornell]

I can certainly speak to my members and get the exact number for you.

[David Yurdiga, Conservative, Fort McMurray—Athabasca, AB]

Thank you.

What programs and services does your organization provide for individuals?

[Kate Cornell]

We're a really interesting NASO. When I sit in a room with my colleagues from the Canadian Arts Coalition, we're one of the only National Arts Service Organizations that services both individuals and organizations. We have partnered with ACTRA Fraternal Benefit Society in providing affordable, accessible health care to individual dancers, which is absolutely essential—not just for their kids to go to the dentist, but also if they have injuries. Allowing them to have access to health care is really important. Believe it or not, they are very interested in the advocacy work we do at the federal level, and they want to support that individually. We also partner with many other organizations, like the Canadian Alliance of Dance Artists, which is not a union but represents their rights. They have a document on protecting the rights of Canadian dancers. We certainly stand beside them in supporting safe working environments, so that when you come into a studio it's not freezing cold, that you dance on a sprung floor, which is incredibly important to prevent injuries, and those types of requirements. We try to work as best as possible to keep those individuals up to date and protected.

[A voice]

And on the move.

[Kate Cornell]

And on the move, for sure.

[David Yurdiga, Conservative, Fort McMurray—Athabasca, AB]

Thank you very much for that.

Ms. McLaren, I was just curious, how did the DTRC help you transition from dancer to another career?