Evidence of meeting #41 for Canadian Heritage in the 45th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was venues.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Director General, Union des artistes
Ms. Thibault was talking earlier about festivals, among other things. They're essential. There are major funding issues there too. You already know the whole argument about foreign actors who are starting to get involved in the world of performance and broadcasting spaces.
Bloc
Martin Champoux Bloc Drummond, QC
Thank you.
Mr. Curzi, I'd like to come back to you. We have very little time.
With the COVID-19 pandemic a few years ago, we saw many artists, as well as cultural sector artisans and technicians, among others, leave the sector to find jobs that they rightly considered, at the time, to be more stable and more predictable.
Tell me a little about the lack of predictability in the funding options offered by governments for the cultural sector. What consequences might this have for your members?
Director General, Union des artistes
Underfunding is extremely problematic in the performing arts. You just mentioned this. There were waves of suicides by musicians after the pandemic, as you probably already know—
Director General, Union des artistes
At the Artists' Foundation, there has been a surge in requests for psychological support, among other things. Many artists have given up, and the numbers show that this trend is accelerating.
So, yes, you're right: There is a glaring lack of funding. When it comes to the dance sector, it's staggering. The major international dance tours, which used to benefit Canada, have disappeared or are all but gone. Seriously, this is a decline that is not only rapid but also profound.
Bloc
Martin Champoux Bloc Drummond, QC
There has also been a withdrawal of support from Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada toward the cultural sector. We can see that it has scaled back the support it used to provide to festivals, among other things.
How do you view this withdrawal of federal support?
Director General, Union des artistes
I won't speak for other provinces, but in Quebec, the cultural sector knows to turn to Quebec institutions, such as the Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec, the Société de développement des entreprises culturelles, and so on.
Quebeckers are a bit disillusioned. Quebec artists and producers are turning to Quebec institutions. I find this problematic, since a significant portion of the funding should come from the federal government.
Bloc
Martin Champoux Bloc Drummond, QC
The burden was transferred to Quebec and the provinces, but also municipalities—
Bloc
Martin Champoux Bloc Drummond, QC
Small municipalities are forced to stretch out funding a bit more to support local festivals. This problem is getting worse and worse.
Director General, Union des artistes
Yes.
I would like to comment. It's a reality for municipalities to not have much money. Free shows are put on for the public, which is great, but it means that artists are working in conditions where they earn less than the minimum wage and have no social safety net. Artists accept these conditions to survive, because they have no other choice. This trend will continue to accelerate.
Bloc
Martin Champoux Bloc Drummond, QC
Artists are always the last to receive public funding, even though they are generally the ones who contribute the most. They are the essential link in this entire chain.
Thank you very much for appearing before the committee, Mr. Curzi.
Liberal
Conservative
Rachael Thomas Conservative Lethbridge, AB
What's interesting is that when the CBC does something good, the Liberals rush to take credit for it. However, when the CBC does something bad or embarrassing, the Liberals cannot shake their hands of it quick enough. They make the excuse that the organization or the entity is at arm's length.
In fact, the CBC comes under the purview of this committee and under the purview of the minister. We should take the opportunity to hold the Liberals to account when a wrongful action transpires, as has taken place in the last few months. They are calling witnesses forward under a false pretense and then shaming them. It's totally inappropriate. It's breaking public trust, and it's a misuse of taxpayers' dollars.
With that, I would also like to draw attention to the fact that this is actually the third time this week alone, at this committee alone, that the Liberals have dodged any sort of accountability. In this case, it's not even accountability for them. It's accountability for the CBC.
I'm confused as to why they are so allergic to letting a bit of sunshine in and allowing for transparency around the illegitimate actions of the CBC. That's incredibly sad. It's sad for Canadians, because they deserve better. It's sad for those veterans who were taken advantage of, who were lured in under false pretenses and who were lied to that the Liberals at this committee would not stand with them. It's very sad.
I'll give the floor to my colleague, Mr. Diotte.
Conservative
Kerry Diotte Conservative Edmonton Griesbach, AB
I am just disgusted by how CBC treated those veterans. They really should be here to explain themselves.
I was just looking at X. There's great irony in the fact that—
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Lisa Hepfner
Mr. Diotte, I'm sorry, but we're really descending into debate on a motion that we've already adjourned debate on. I would ask you to return to the subject of the study, please. Thank you.
Conservative
Kerry Diotte Conservative Edmonton Griesbach, AB
I'll wrap it up quickly.
The director of the CBC, the CEO and general manager, talks about how they'll tell us when they get it wrong. We read, “our journalism is fact-checked” and “We're accountable for our journalism”.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Lisa Hepfner
Again, Mr. Diotte, are you debating the motion that we've adjourned debate on?
Conservative
Kerry Diotte Conservative Edmonton Griesbach, AB
I'm not debating. I'm just saying that CBC claims to be ethical, and they've breached every ethical standard that—
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Lisa Hepfner
I understand that this is your feeling, but right now we have witnesses in the room on creative spaces.
Conservative
Rachael Thomas Conservative Lethbridge, AB
On a point of order, if you look in the green book, or perhaps consult with the clerk, Madam Chair, you will find that we have great latitude at this committee to discuss matters having to do with culture and identity. The matter at hand, having to do with the CBC, is exactly that. It falls under the purview of the minister, and it falls under the purview of this committee.
