Preparations with the CAC for the Upcoming Federal Election

Preparations with the CAC

Note: the 42nd Cana­di­an gen­er­al elec­tion is sched­uled to occur on Octo­ber 19, 2015. With the elec­tion fast approach­ing, the CAC is look­ing for vol­un­teers to fill a num­ber of posi­tions as part of their effort to make sure the arts are on the mind of can­di­dates across the country.

On March 18, 2015 mem­bers of the Cana­di­an Arts Coali­tion (CAC) met by tele­con­fer­ence to dis­cuss issues relat­ing to the upcom­ing fed­er­al elec­tion. The Elec­tions Com­mit­tee of the CAC had analysed dif­fer­ent strate­gies to cre­ate a unit­ed arts front, not­ing: (1) this time around it may be dif­fi­cult for the arts to get media atten­tion; (2) the five polit­i­cal par­ties are not like­ly to share each party’s plat­form until into the fall campaign.

Two options were discussed:

  1. Approach par­ties with three arts ques­tions and post the answers on websites
  2. Instead of an arts-only cam­paign, con­nect with larg­er issues, such as: 
    1. Abo­rig­i­nal rights;
    2. Envi­ron­men­tal issues;
    3. Elec­tion reform and get­ting out the youth vote.

Gen­er­al con­sen­sus was that both options had mer­it, but that it was dif­fi­cult to agree on a non-arts issue.

In the sec­ond option, dis­cus­sion leaned towards con­tribut­ing to the efforts of Apa­thy is Bor­ing, par­tic­u­lar­ly in get­ting youth out to vote. As a non-par­ti­san orga­ni­za­tion, it was favoured over oth­er sim­i­lar orga­ni­za­tions. 

In the first option, the three arts ques­tions will be based on the CAC’s Rec­om­men­da­tions from Arts Day on the Hill:

  • Increase the oper­at­ing fund­ing of the Cana­da Coun­cil for the Arts by $35 mil­lion, to the goal of $300 mil­lion, in the near future.
  • Increase Canada’s pres­ence on the world stage in 2017 (sesqui­cen­ten­ni­al) with a spe­cial $25 mil­lion fund.
  • Increase the fund­ing, and increase the alter­na­tive fund­ing, for dig­i­tal dis­sem­i­na­tion and Cana­di­an con­tent online.

For­mal rec­om­men­da­tions from the CAC’s Elec­tion Com­mit­tee are to be made soon.

Ques­tions or com­ments? Feel free to con­tact CNMN.

Report sub­mit­ted by CNMN board mem­ber Jen­nifer War­ing, with con­tri­bu­tions from Kate Cor­nell (Exec­u­tive Direc­tor, Cana­di­an Dance Assembly)

 

Direct link: Prepa­ra­tions with the CAC for the Upcom­ing Fed­er­al Election
Return to full Bul­letin – May 2015