Ottawa, May 1, 2006 - The Canada Council for the Arts has welcomed the announcement by the Minister of Canadian Heritage proposing the appointment of Robert Sirman as Director of the Canada Council. The proposed appointment will be forwarded to the Standing Committee of Canadian Heritage for review.
Mr. Sirman would bring to the position extensive experience in arts administration, strategic planning and policy development.
A graduate of the University of Toronto, Mr. Sirman began his career as a speechwriter and policy advisor for the Ontario government, helping to establish the province's Ministry of Culture in 1975. In 1980, he moved to the Ontario Arts Council where he served for 10 years as Director of Operations and Director of Research and Policy. Since 1991, he has served as Administrative Director of the National Ballet School of Canada, where he was responsible for the school's operations and oversaw a $100 million capital expansion program. In December 2004, he was featured by the Toronto Star as one of that city's top "leading lights" in arts and culture.
"We are very pleased that the Minister of Canadian Heritage, Bev Oda, and the government have made this announcement," said Karen Kain, Chair of the Canada Council. "It confirms the government has confidence in our Board's recommendation and in Mr. Sirman's excellent credentials for the job."
"Over the course of his career, he has considered and contended with the major challenges facing the arts and culture, had extensive experience at the heart of an arts council, and has been responsible for the day-to-day operations of an internationally-recognized national school in the arts. He has all of the qualities we were looking for, to bring to the Canada Council enlightened leadership and drive to deal with the challenges ahead. His knowledge and his exceptional ability to relate to artists as well as arts patrons, his experience in working with government and political authorities, and his concern for the development of the arts in all their diversity at a national, regional and community level make him an ideal candidate for the Canada Council."
"We are very excited that he has agreed to be nominated for this position and we are confident that the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage will concur, and that he will be able to lead us into our second half-century," added Ms. Kain.
Mr. Sirman was proposed for the position of Director by the Board of the Canada Council, following a thorough and transparent four-month process. The Council's Board created a selection committee consisting of four Council Board members - Chair Karen Kain, Vice-Chair Simon Brault, Esther Ondrack and Tom Hill - and one outside expert, former auditor-general Denis Desautels. The committee worked with a professional recruitment firm to place newspaper advertisements and solicit applications for the position. The selection committee recommended Mr. Sirman to the Canada Council's Board and the Board forwarded his name to the Minister of Canadian Heritage. As Director of the Canada Council, Mr. Sirman would be the Council's chief executive officer, responsible for the Council's day-to-day operations and its budget of more than $150 million. He would replace John Hobday, whose term expired in January of this year.
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