Mr. Speaker, I rise to present two petitions. The first recognizes the critical importance of the arts to the vibrancy of communities across the country. The petition was signed by almost 2,000 people.
The petitioners note the economic impact of the arts as well as the impact on activism, mental health and our well-being. The economic impact is $54.8 billion to our GDP every year. They note that public data shows there are significant regional inequities to arts funding across the country. I would point out that this includes in my community as well. The petitioners note there are better options available. For example, the regional development agency model that sets up organizations like FedDev can ensure that funds are more equitably distributed across the country.
The petition includes several calls to action. First is restoring the funding of the Canada Council for the Arts back to the $500 million it had during the pandemic. Second is applying the regional development agency model to ensure that organizations and artists in communities across the country, including in mine, more equitably receive these really critical funds for artists, creatives and art organizations across the country.