Report on the Meeting of Provincial and Territorial Ministers and Representatives Responsible for Culture and Heritage in Québec City

Meeting of Provincial-Territorial Ministers responsible for Culture and Heritage
Québec, Quebec – September 25-26, 2008

QUÉBEC CITY, Québec, September 26, 2008—The meeting of provincial and territorial ministers and representatives responsible for Canadian culture and heritage ended today in Québec City. Chaired by Ms. Christine St-Pierre, Québec Minister of Culture, Communication, and the Status of Women, the meeting addressed a number of issues of common interest.“We had fruitful discussions which allowed us to clarify our shared position on two major issues: the federal government’s role in funding culture, and the renewal of the Historic Places Initiative. We have agreed to ask the federal government to hold a special federal-provincial-territorial meeting to discuss these issues after the election,” said Minister St-Pierre.

Funding for culture

The ministers present voiced their deep disappointment about recent announcements by the Government of Canada to abolish several initiatives critical to the development and sustainability of Canada’s cultural sector.

Figures released by the Conference Board of Canada indicate that the cultural sector employs more than 1.1 million people and generates direct and indirect annual profits of $84.6 million, or 7.4% of Canada’s real GDP, and confirm that culture is not an “expense,” but an investment which creates significant economic and social benefits.

Ministers agreed to submit a resolution calling upon the federal government to reverse its decision to reduce the investments in important cultural programs. They also urged the federal government to work with provinces and territories on solutions to support cultural development across Canada and to convene a special federal-provincial-territorial meeting as soon as possible after the federal election to discuss this issue.

Heritage conservation

The ministers also agreed to send a joint resolution to Canada’s environment minister stressing the importance of sustaining the federal government’s commitment to heritage conservation. This resolution follows the federal government’s decision not to renew funding agreements in support of provincial and territorial participation in the Historical Places Initiative (HPI) as of March 31, 2010. The ministers urged the federal government to continue its role in maintaining a pan-Canadian framework for heritage conservation. This includes the introduction of substantial federal financial incentives for conservation and the introduction of effective federal legislation for the historic places under its jurisdiction. The HPI aims to foster a culture of heritage conservation in Canada, provide Canadians with the basic tools to conserve heritage, encourage private sector investment in heritage and demonstrate government leadership in heritage conservation.

Participants also shared their experiences in supporting youth participation in the arts, culture, and heritage, learned about collaborative projects regarding the impact of new technologies on cultural policies, and discussed connections between culture, heritage, and tourism.

“I am extremely satisfied with the meeting’s results, and would like to thank my counterparts and the provincial and territorial representatives for attending”, said Ms. St-Pierre.

The resolutions are attached to the communiqué.

RESOLUTION OF THE PROVINCIAL AND TERITORIAL MINISTERS RESPONSIBLE FOR CULTURE AND HERITAGE CONCERNING RECENT CUTS IN FEDERAL GOVERNMENT PROGRAMS (definitive version)

RESOLUTION – PROVINCIAL-TERRITORIAL RESOLUTION REGARDING HISTORIC PLACES INITIATIVE

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Source: Marie-Hélène Paradis
Directrice des communications
Cabinet de la ministre de la Culture,
des Communications et de la Condition féminine
Tél. : (418) 380-2310