There are many challenges.
There are so many that I'm not sure where to start. Again, thinking within the context of the committee's work, there are cultural constraints. There are the historical implications of colonization on individuals' lives and realities and I will say that is the primary barrier to success.
As I said in my statement, the historical infrastructure just does not reside in the hands of indigenous companies or artists or producers. Companies in theatre, like the Shaw and Stratford festivals, were producing English and American work and American authors well into the seventies, so the new voices—Canadian and indigenous voices—are really just starting to find their footing now.
The Truth and Reconciliation Commission has impacted our industry as well. I would love to think that maybe the artists were a little bit ahead of that. I come from British Columbia, where on the arts council applications, the companies have to respond to the question, “If you are interacting with the indigenous community, what are the protocols you, as the producer, have in place to engage in this work?”
I would say that there have been efforts at the council level, both federally and in some provinces, to ameliorate that situation and to start to fund the new voices. In the recent round, I can highlight companies, such as Urban Ink, which is the company that co-produced Children of God. Some of you may have seen that, either here at the National Arts Centre or in your community. It's a musical based on the experience of residential schools.
Urban Ink was recognized for the experience that they brought to that production, but as I said, really the largest barriers are cultural.