Madam Speaker, I rise to present two petitions. The first is on behalf of folks who recognize that artists and creatives in the arts community do immeasurable good across the country, whether it is related to mental health or lifting up the voices of activists. Petitioners point out the economic impact of artists across the country, as they contribute $54.8 billion to Canada's GDP. However, the petitioners also note that public data shows communities across the country are underfunded, including communities like mine. They note that the regional development agencies model has proven successful. This model has organizations, like FedDev Ontario, ensuring that funding for economic development is more equitably distributed across the country.
Petitioners call for three actions from the Government of Canada: first, to restore funding of the Canada Council for the Arts to its pandemic level of $500 million annually; second, to amend the underlying legislation for the Canada Council for the Arts to require that the regional development agencies model be applied, to ensure communities are more equitably funded across the country; and third, to meaningfully consult with historically underfunded communities to ensure that this funding is directed toward under-represented and equity-deserving groups.