Mr. Speaker, the tax incentives provided in the Cultural Property Export and Import Act are for all Canadians and not only for the wealthy.
The act has been in effect for almost 20 years, that is since 1967. It has evolved and it must continue to do so in order to encourage Canadians to keep within the country those objects that are part of our heritage. The more Canadians are aware of the existence and purpose of this legislation, the more they donate interesting property related to our heritage.
Indeed, we notice an increase in the number of gifts made to public institutions and authorities responsible for keeping such property and making it accessible to ordinary citizens, the rich as well as the poor, now and in the future.
Economic considerations are not the only reasons underlying this bill. It is also important to make sure that our cultural heritage remains here in Canada. When the original legislation was passed, it did not include any deterrent to prevent the sale of Canadian cultural property on the free market. Consequently, Canadians have forever lost many important elements of their culture and heritage.
These objects were sold abroad and have become the property of public and private collections throughout the world. This is a major and permanent loss of heritage for Canadians.
Cultural and heritage institutions in Canada have a long and proud history.
Our first museums had an educational purpose: to organize and transmit knowledge in the natural sciences. For example, the first known museum in Canada dates back to 1831, when the Halifax Mechanics Institute opened a public museum and reading room. Later came the establishment of the arts museums. By 1903 Canada had 21 museums. Today our museums are respected and renowned worldwide.
The Canadian Museum of Civilization is one of those renowned institutions which attract visitors from all over the world. People come here to admire its distinctive architecture. But what would that magnificent building be without its collections? Without their artifacts, works of art and books, our museums, galleries and libraries would only be empty buildings, rooms and walls.
Bill C-93 will ensure that the collections of Canadian museums, art galleries and libraries are up to date, diversified and exciting.
Canadians are increasingly interested in their heritage. They expect the government to play a role in developing heritage collections. Bill C-93 is an attempt to meet these expectations.
An article in The Ottawa Citizen in October 1994 described the importance of gifts of cultural property for Canadian museums. Here is the story of one such gift.
Ainslie Loomis was a university student in 1939 and regularly visited Britnell's bookstore in Toronto. One day, while browsing through a box of old books, she came across an album of photographs entitled The Antiquities of Cambodia , which had been published in 1867. The price was marked as $2.25, but Britnell's dropped it to 75 cents. In 1993, and now living in Brantford, she gave the album to the National Art Gallery of Canada; it was worth $10,000.
The article went on to explain that the National Gallery of Canada came into being through gifts of works of art. At its creation in 1880, the National Gallery's collection comprised only donated works.
Leanora McCarney of Hull, Quebec, has been giving works of art to the National Gallery for 15 years. She says that when they travel abroad they see galleries with entire wings full of donated works. She does not believe Canadians are in the habit of donating works the National Gallery. She hopes to start a trend, because she feels people should understand that what is involved is their heritage.
In making it easier for people to donate cultural property to museums, galleries and libraries, the government will perhaps make Leonora McCarney's wish come true.
The implementation of measures, like Bill C-93, to consolidate our museum, gallery and library collections has an effect on other sectors of the economy besides the arts and culture. Cultural tourism is a flourishing part of the tourism industry.
On the whole, the tourism industry brings in nearly $30 billion a year and employs over 600,000 Canadians in 60,000 tourism related industries.
In Canada, recent trends indicate most tourists visiting Canada want a cultural experience different from their own. The Department of Canadian Heritage is trying to improve heritage tourism in Canada.
Many examples may be found in Canada of the contribution cultural tourism makes to the local economy, while promoting people's awareness of cultural values and encouraging their participation.
Thus the activities proposed at the Musée de la civilisation in Quebec City are an excellent way to approach culture, community development and cultural tourism.
Opened in 1988, the museum promotes experience on a human scale with a collection of over 80,000 pieces illustrating life in Quebec.
The leadership role of this museum in the city's cultural and educational development is widely recognized. This museum is now regarded as an essential tool for promoting public participation in cultural heritage activities.
Clearly museums, galleries and libraries are not elitist shrines or ivory tower domains for the happy few. They are democratic, diverse institutions open to all citizens. They make a vital contribution to the cultural and scientific life of the community. In Canada, museums, galleries, archives and libraries are resources and inspiration to people of all communities, backgrounds, ages and abilities.
To all Canadians our museums, galleries and libraries represent our authentic and irreplaceable link with our history, culture and heritage. Successful passage of Bill C-93 will help to ensure that these institutions remain vibrant temples of the human spirit, a strong presence for all Canadians to inspire us and reflect who we are.
I cannot emphasize too strongly the importance of this bill, this legislative jewel, for the future development of Canada as a nation. The Cultural Property Export and Import Act is currently the only
legal mechanism available in Canada that promotes conservation, thus helping to define our heritage. Again, this incentive to establish and protect Canadian culture is only an incentive and not a tax deduction or loophole. This incentive in the form of an individual tax credit is available to all Canadians.
Its scope was broadened in 1992 to include artists by encouraging them to donate their creations to designated institutions interested in collecting their work. I do not need to explain to you that artists are among our poorest fellow citizens, at least financially. This tax incentive provides us with a way, however small it may be, to allow major works by living artists to enter the public domain, where they will help inspire and educate citizens much better than if they remained hidden in the artists' workshops.
The Cultural Property Export and Import Act plays another very important role: encouraging Canadians to espouse philanthropic principles, to think about future generations, to seek today what may become a national treasure tomorrow, and to collect works of art.
Those who argue that cultural property donations can only come from the rich are completely mistaken, to say the least. In fact, some of the greatest collectors in the world had very little money at their disposal and sometimes even went without food in order to buy works of art.
We need more of these people in our country, people who can recognize what is of aesthetic value, people who can have a passion for history or, even better, people who can understand the scientific and technical symbols which define us as a nation.
This bill is designed for those who feel it is their civic duty to keep alive our heritage as a young country, and it seeks to welcome objects which are symbolic and representative of our country. To promote the making of collections and to stimulate a philanthropic spirit is the least that the federal government can do to ensure that our heritage remains accessible to all Canadians.
Our country is still very young. It is less than 150 years old. We have a duty to develop existing private and public collections, so that our culture can thrive and be the envy of other countries. More importantly, this will allow Canadians to be fully aware of their place and identity as a nation.
Given the current economic context, it is particlarly appropriate for us to take all possible measures to keep our cultural treasures in Canada, and to encourage the public to think twice before selling abroad family objects brought here by their ancestors over a century ago, not to mention a masterpiece by Riopelle bought 25 years ago for next to nothing.
We are talking about Canada's heritage but, more importantly, about the preservation and development of that heritage.
I am convinced that everyone in this House should support this wise piece of legislation.
Because the arguments are sound I encourage all members of the House to support the bill, which is based on sound logic and makes good sense for the country.
