ST. JOHN'S, Newfoundland and Labrador, August 12, 2010 - Canada's federal, provincial and territorial (FPT) Ministers responsible for Culture and Heritage met today to discuss topics relating to the theme of this year's meeting - Fostering Arts and Heritage in Changing Times. All Ministers agreed on the importance of working together to advance common goals and reaffirmed their support for the FPT Culture/Heritage and Tourism Initiative (FPTTI).
At the meeting, co-chaired by the Honourable James Moore, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages, and the Honourable Terry French, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Recreation for Newfoundland and Labrador, the Ministers spoke on issues of common interest, such as adapting to the digital environment, cultural collaboration and the 150th celebration of Canadian Confederation, cultural and heritage tourism as a key economic driver and cultural heritage.
"The Government of Canada is committed to working with provincial and territorial governments towards staking out a place for arts and heritage in the everyday lives of Canadians," said Minister Moore. "To accomplish this we must adapt our policies and programs to ensure they keep pace with the changing economy. Already, the Department of Canadian Heritage has begun this transformation through the renewal of our suite of cultural programs to bring them in line with our new digital reality."
"Newfoundland and Labrador has a vibrant culture that is recognized throughout the country and around the world, and our Provincial Government has made a concerted effort to preserve, protect and promote our rich and diverse heritage," said Minister French. "We recognize the value of our cultural and heritage assets and the importance of working with our federal, provincial and territorial counterparts to take advantage of the economic opportunities they present. We were therefore delighted to host this federal-provincial-territorial meeting; to share our successes with our colleagues, and to learn from them what measures have proven successful in their respective regions."
Tom Perlmutter, Government Film Commissioner and Chair of the National Film Board (NFB) of Canada, gave a presentation on Fostering Arts and Heritage in Changing Times, which was followed by an open discussion by all Ministers.
Minister Moore provided an update on the status of the copyright reform and the introduction of Bill C-32, the Copyright Modernization Act, on June 2, 2010. According to Minister Moore, the purpose of this new legislation is to bring Canada in line with international standards and advances in technology, with clear rules that support consumers, creativity, innovation, and economic growth. Provincial and territorial Ministers recognized the pressing need to modernize Canada's Copyright Act, and welcomed the opportunity to comment on Bill C-32. Ministers agreed that a modernized copyright framework is key to Canada's ability to flourish in a knowledge economy. On the Digital Economy Strategy, Minister Moore provided a status report on the public consultations which concluded in July, and thanked the Ministers for their participation in this consultation.
The Ministers highlighted the importance of cultural collaboration among provinces and territories, and pointed to the presence of the Atlantic Canada House and Canada's Northern House pavilions at the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games as examples of highly-successful regional cultural collaborative efforts. Ontario also noted the importance of upcoming events such as the War of 1812 Bicentennial celebrations.
A presentation on cultural collaborations initiated discussions between Ministers on the celebration of the 150th anniversary of Confederation in 2017. It allowed for Ministers to recognize the importance of this milestone event as a unique opportunity to highlight the value of culture and heritage in all regions across the country. The 150th anniversary will be discussed in more detail at the next FPT meeting.
Cultural and heritage tourism is a key economic driver and was showcased through Newfoundland and Labrador's presentation on its vision of Cultural and Heritage Tourism.
The presentation outlined key issues, successes to date, and future opportunities.
Alberta and New Brunswick, with the support of British Columbia, presented their report on the FPT Culture/Heritage and Tourism Initiative. Ministers reaffirmed their support of this initiative, and agreed to recognize the FPTTI as an ongoing activity of the Culture and Heritage Table. They look forward to its continued success.
Quebec presented Bill 82, the Cultural Heritage Act, which will modernize the 40-year-old Cultural Property Act. The Government of Quebec wishes to enact a law that reflects the evolution of the concepts and offers a much more inclusive definition of cultural heritage. Bill 82 proposes an in-depth reform of the approach used to safeguard and showcase Quebec's heritage and is an act that will allow for the stories of the land to be preserved and shared.
The Honourable Elaine Taylor, Minister of Tourism and Culture for Yukon, was pleased to extend an official invitation to her federal, provincial, and territorial counterparts to hold the next meeting in Yukon in 2011.
