The measures that were introduced, namely the CERB, the CRB, the CWLB, and the $60 million in funding that has just been announced, were created specifically because there was no social safety net for artists. There was no financial support, and artists were in the dark. It should be noted in passing that every time a benefit program ended and was replaced by another, artists found themselves abandoned and in the dark for long periods during the transition.
Would it be possible to learn from the pandemic to improve the situation and establish a permanent form of employment insurance? Of course, we would contribute. It could be used during a pandemic, for example, or at times when artists are not earning any income.
We believe that lessons should be drawn from the experience. The pandemic exacerbated the absence of financial support, not only for creators, but all self-employed workers and freelancers across Canada. The knowledge we acquired during the pandemic should be used to improve things.