CHPC Committee Report

RECOVERY OF THE ARTS, CULTURE, HERITAGE AND SPORT SECTORS FOLLOWING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

SUPPLEMENTAL OPINION OF THE CONSERVATIVE PARTY OF CANADA

The Conservative Members of the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage are grateful to the witnesses who appeared before the committee to share their experiences and recommendations regarding the Government of Canada’s response to the COVID-19 Pandemic and the impact on the arts, culture, heritage, and sport sectors.

However, the Official Opposition is disappointed that rather than providing a thorough analysis of how impactful the emergency relief funds were in supporting workers in the arts, culture, heritage and sport sectors, the majority of Members on the Committee chose to use this study as a tool to advocate for a variety of loosely related policy proposals.

Conservatives are concerned that many of the recommendations included in the report call for further increases to government spending.

Conservatives recognize that if the arts, culture, heritage, and sport sectors are to recover from COVID-19 and have a vibrant future, it is imperative each of these sectors be financially stable without the need for government subsidies.

Conservatives are further concerned that more than two years after the introduction of COVID-19 into our lives, the majority of Members on the Committee continue to advocate for emergency relief funds rather than a strategy which would support the economic recovery of the arts, culture, heritage, and sport sectors.

In his written response to the Committee, David Dendooven, Assistant Deputy Minister, Strategic Policy, Planning and Corporate Affairs at the Department of Canadian Heritage, indicated that the Government has already spent $405,403,388.96 since the beginning of the pandemic.

Yet, the witnesses representing the arts, culture, heritage, and sport sectors explained to the committee that many problems persist. It is clear to Conservatives that government spending is not an effective long-term solution.

Despite the overwhelming evidence received by witnesses calling on the Government of Canada to support the economic self-sufficiency of the industry, many of recommendations in the report call for continued financial support from the government. The suggestions that funding be extended or be made permanent are not in the interests of healthy, fair, or competitive industries.

Furthermore, Conservatives are disappointed the majority on the Committee chose to recommend increased spending to existing programs rather than focus on solving the ongoing equity problems faced by Canada’s overlooked and marginalized artists including Indigenous and Black artists.

It is concerning that many of the recommendations made by the Committee call on the Government to invest more money in the same institutions which have a history of ignoring systemically marginalized individuals and communities.

Lastly, Conservatives are concerned that the report calls for increased funding to the Canada Council for the Arts. Witnesses were especially critical the Liberal Government’s continued practice of distributing funds through the Canada Council for the Arts as it has a history of distributing tax-payer money to only a select number of organizations. Conservatives believe it is a mistake for the Committee to recommend providing further dollars to this institution.

Conservatives are disappointed this study and this report were not as useful as it should have been.

Rather than provide specific and useful recommendations to improve government policies and programs, the majority of Members on the Committee chose to promote a continuation of inefficient government spending. More spending will neither help the arts, culture, heritage, and sport sectors recover from COVID-19 nor promote the development of modern, fair, and competitive industries.