Mr. Chair, ladies and gentlemen members of the committee, distinguished guests, good morning. I would like to thank you for having invited the Canadian Arts Coalition to appear before the Standing Committee on Finance as part of its pre-budget consultations. I am pleased to speak on behalf of the largest association of arts, culture and heritage stakeholders in Canada and to talk about the importance of the arts as a driver of the Canadian economy and a sector that will help Canada come out of the current economic crisis in a stronger position.
We believe that the arts sector can play a key role in Canada's economic recovery, particularly with regard to job creation. In fact, as you already know, Canada's cultural sector employs more than 600,000 people.
As the government is aware, investing in the arts is sound strategic economic policy, and I'd like to say a word of thanks to the Government of Canada for the arts investments it's made of late, particularly the $30 million permanent investment to the Canada Council in 2008, the renewal of significant investment in the arts and culture programs of the Department of Canadian Heritage in 2009, and the inclusion of Capital Arts Projects as part of the economic stimulus package.
Research by the Conference Board of Canada has shown that arts organizations generate $2.70 in revenues for every dollar they receive from government.
The best way to ensure that the arts sector delivers positive economic spin-offs is to invest directly in artists and the arts organizations that support them, through increased funding to the Canada Council for the Arts.
This is why the Canadian Arts Coalition recommends that the Government of Canada invest in Canadian creativity and Canadian communities by increasing the base budget of the Canada Council for the Arts by an additional $30 million per year in each of the next four years, bringing the council's funding base to $300 million per annum by 2015.
We believe that the Canada Council is essential to our cultural infrastructure in its role as the key public vehicle for supporting the arts continuum in Canada.
The Canada Council is familiar with Canadian artists and the communities in which they work and live. This awareness of the sector allows the council to implement programs that are tailored to the specific needs of organizations as well as to respond to an ever-changing environment. In 2009-2010, the Canada Council invested $158 million in over 4,000 artists living in 689 communities across Canada. If the government were to choose to implement the coalition's recommendation and double the Canada Council's budget by 2015, the spinoffs from that enhanced investment would be even more impressive and Canadian communities would be even more dynamic, which would allow them to attract further investments and create more jobs.
Canadians view the arts as cornerstones of excellence, innovation, and creative leadership in Canada, and recognize that these attributes are the contemporary building blocks of an internationally competitive society. In fact, the arts were the driving force behind the advancement of Canada's position in a global society that values economic prosperity, social cohesion, creativity, innovation, and excellence.
Historically, Canada has always taken important steps to foster and develop a knowledge-based economy, domestically and internationally. We were the first country to accept the UNESCO Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions and a founding force behind the International Network on Cultural Policy.
This leads us to the coalition's second recommendation. If implemented, it would help artists and arts organizations obtain the funds needed to showcase Canadian excellence on the international stage.
The coalition recommends that the Government of Canada acknowledge the role that arts and culture plays in enhancing Canada's reputation internationally and put Canadian artists on the world stage by investing $25 million in strategic international market access and development initiatives.
Arts and culture enrich us as people and contribute directly to our collective prosperity. The essential role arts and culture play in our country’s economy was confirmed when the government embedded support for the cultural sector in Canada's economic action plan. Increased investment through the Canada Council will ensure that the core of Canada's cultural milieu—artists and arts organizations—are supported in the shared public purpose of exploring and expressing what defines us as Canadians. It will also help us to ensure that Canadians have better access to artistic work from all regions of Canada that reflects our rich cultural diversity. Canadian communities of all backgrounds will have the opportunity to participate in and benefit from the broadest possible range of artistic experiences.
I'll wrap up quickly.
Arts and culture, creators and cultural workers represent precious social and economic assets. If we want them to continue to improve our quality of life, strengthen the ties that bind us and help express what defines us as Canadians, the government must support those assets by investing in Canada's creativity and innovation leaders, i.e., artists and arts organizations. By reaffirming the important role government has historically played in bringing the best Canadian art to international audiences, Canada will reclaim its place as cultural leader on the world stage. By sustaining and increasing its investment in the cultural sector, Canada will be first among equals in a global society that values economic prosperity, social cohesion, innovation and excellence. Canadian artists and arts organizations are playing an important role in Canadian society and they are eager to do more, in partnership with the Government of Canada. Thank you.