We have hardly talked about culture during the electoral campaign, but we can, this morning, predict what awaits us.
Unless I missed important speeches (have there been any?), The four chiefs-five, if we count that of the Green Party-have not wasted saliva on culture. But thanks to the commitments of their programs and thanks above all to the tacks and the words heard in the House of Commons, we know the “cultural” intentions of the two major parties.
With Hairyvre and the Conservatives, the world of culture can expect the worst. With Carney and the Liberals, few things will change, except for CBC/Radio-Canada, which could hope for an even more cozy future. As for the other cultural organizations, they will have the sympathy of the Minister of Heritage, but I doubt that they have that of the Treasury Board.
Conservatives
With them, it is the “gulag” for the CBC. They would keep CBC news, but the hundreds of people who have a pied-à-terre in the excessive building of 250, rue Front, in Toronto, should seek employment. As for all the other cultural organizations of the crown, including Radio-Canada, they would not swim in money, because one intends to spare a billion on their backs.
The Conservatives recognize that French is in decline and they promise to work with the Quebec government to ensure its survival … but without mentioning a budget. For the natives, we are more concrete: $ 25 million would be paid each year to their media. Our veterans would be better served by the Canadian Ministry of Culture and Identity (unless we return to the name “Canadian Heritage”?), Which would finance a documentary series on the contribution of our valiant soldiers during the two great wars (and the smallest too, I imagine!).
Under Hairyvre, the digital giants would prevail. The Conservative government would propose a law on freedom of speech. Clearly, it is a question of repealing the law on continuous broadcasting online and that on online news. Meta and other platforms would also regain their free access to Canadian news, whatever it costs to our own media.
Liberals
With a Carney government, it would not be the jackpot, but CBC/Radio-Canada would receive $ 150 million more each year and the media fund, TV movie, the National Film Office and the Arts Council, $ 70 million more and for everything.
It is CBC/Radio-Canada that would especially draw attention. We would determine a new mandate and, above all, we would keep the public broadcaster away from partisan inclinations thanks to statutory funding that could not be modified without the consent of the municipalities.
As those who have long memory can see, we forgot the prediction of Steven Guilbeault. During his first mandate as Minister of Heritage, he predicted that the contribution of digital giants would reach $ 800 million per year! But it was in the time of “sunny ways»(The sunny ways) by Justin …
