Finance committee  : We would also like the tax credit to apply to artistic activities because, in our view, the reasoning which was applied to sporting activities also applies to artistic ones. Everyone recognizes the benefits of physical fitness in children. It comes back to many of the things wh

Finance committee  Yes, we have. We were somewhat out of order, but we were well received and the message was supported by other people around the table, actually, who said, yes, artistic training is a major contribution to the well-being of our children and it should be considered as a natural ext

Finance committee  I'm sorry, the point is not about not paying the debt. As was said around the table, it's a good thing to pay the debt. To take all the leeway that the government has to pay the debt rather than address some of the really glaring issues is something we question. We think a balanc

Finance committee  The Canadian Conference of the Arts has supported that request, which was put forward in the round in April through our association with Imagine Canada and all the voluntary sector. So we support that thing. I have to say, though--and the minister himself pointed that out to me-

Finance committee  That is a suggestion that has been supported, by the way, by the Canadian Council of Chief Executives. The aim here is to encourage creativity and support it. That is the proposal. I can tell you that most artists are actually working as waiters and in all sorts of jobs to sustai

Finance committee  I'm sorry, but yes, essentially what we mean is to identify with the lowest paid in this country and hike up the basic exemption.

Finance committee  No. We're lining up with the rest of society and saying that this is probably the best way to help artists, to join ranks with the rest of the taxpayers.

Finance committee  Yes, it is, and it's a point that we had the opportunity to make yesterday in front of the blue ribbon panel with all the sectors of the not-for-profit sector. There are grants to artists, and they are problems, because if you give a grant to an artist to create something, it m

Canadian Heritage committee  No offence. There are enough intelligent people around the table to have a conversation. Thank you, Mr. Chair. My name is Alain Pineau, and I am the National Director of the Canadian Conference of the Arts, or the CCA. Next to me is Monica Auer, Legal Counsel for these issues.

Canadian Heritage committee  Thank you very much for your questions. First of all, on the role of the CBC and whether it should be restricted or all-encompassing, I would say that the answer to that question has to be broken down into the two main components of the official languages, because there may be d

Canadian Heritage committee  I'm sorry, I'm not well disciplined.

Canadian Heritage committee  It is the funding that poses problems. In my opinion, we are spending too much time punishing the CBC, instead of giving it the resources to do what it needs to do.

Canadian Heritage committee  Not all the time, and I am tempted to ask who always does fulfil their mandate perfectly. We must take into account all the constraints the CBC is facing.

Canadian Heritage committee  Yes. Also, the fact that there is no predictable funding prevents the CBC from planning ahead and forces it to live on a six-month basis. I experienced this first-hand, since I worked at the head office through the 1990s. And I also know what is going on now.

Canadian Heritage committee  This is something done by other public broadcasters. We will immediately remove that recommendation if it is seen as union-type representation. It must be clear that we are talking about an employee representative who is elected because he meets the same criteria and corresponds