Liberal Party pledges $600 million in spending on arts
Source : CBC Radio, The Arts Report
Nov 02, 2000
The Liberal Party has released its latest Red Book and is promising more money for the arts.
Heritage Minister Sheila Copps says, if elected, a Liberal government will spend $600 million in new money on culture:
"I think its clear in the Red Book that there's a real different path we want to take and that path includes support for culture and the arts and CBC."
Copps says the Liberal Party will spend the bulk of the money on book publishing, sound recording and a new web site for Canadian content. Access.ca will provide material from museums, the National Film Board and the CBC.
The Red Book does not include more money for the CBC, but Copps says she's confident there will be an increase in the next budget for the public broadcaster.
Pat Bradley is Chair of the Canadian Conference for the Arts:
"It's a little bit far away from individual artists and individual performing arts organizations and galleries across the country. I wouldn't say it's bad for the arts. It's obviously going to be good for some individual industries, but I don't know that it addresses the direct concerns of artists who have problems with, for instance, tax issues. And I don't see anything there about the Canada Council, which has the biggest effect on artists in this country."
Ian Morrison, spokesperson for Friends of Canadian Broadcasting, says the Liberals have made promises before, and Sheila Copps can't be counted on to deliver.
"There's a huge gap between her words and her deeds over the now four or five years as culture minister, so it's not reassuring."
But the culture minister says with money to spend, her promises are good.
