EQUIFLASH [FEDERAL ELECTION ADVOCACY ALERT - ARTS AND CULTURE PLATFORMS]

[CAEA e-drive]

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ARTS AND CULTURE ELECTION PLATFORMS
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The following information is a breakdown of the federal political parties' election platforms pertaining to arts and culture - specifically in relation the field of live performance. 

A detailed analysis of the arts and culture policies of all the federal parties is available online at http://www.caea.com. Equity acknowledges the work of the Canadian Conference of the Arts (http://www.ccarts.ca/en/) in the preparation of these materials.

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BLOC QUÉBÉCOIS (http://www.blocquebecois.org/Dossiers/parti/proposition_principale.aspx)
* Will ask that Quebec be able to opt out of all federal programs designed to invest in the cultural field, with full compensation, and that all corresponding taxes be repaid to the Quebec government.
* Will increase the annual budget of the Canada Council for the Arts to $300 million.
* Will respect the UNESCO Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions and the principle of cultural inclusion.
* Will ensure that the new copyright law is fair to both creators and consumers.
* Will introduce a bill that permits an artist's income to be spread out over a five-year period.
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CONSERVATIVE PARTY (http://www.conservative.ca/)
* Will establish a Children's Arts Tax Credit, to cover up to $500 per child in qualifying expenses for eligible arts or cultural activities.
* Will reintroduce and pass the Copyright Modernization Act (BillC-32 that died on the order paper when the Governor General dissolved Parliament).
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GREEN PARTY (http://greenparty.ca/en/policy/artsandculture#SocialWellBeing)
* Will increase funding to all of Canada's Arts and Culture organizations including The Canada Council for the Arts.
* Will restore and improve arm's length principles in the governance of arts and cultural institutions and agencies under the federal jurisdiction.
* Will equalize federal funding for Arts and Culture among provinces, territories and municipalities. 
* Will extend income tax relief and incentives to artists.
* Will change the Canada Revenue Act to allow arts and culture workers to benefit from a tax averaging plan.
* Will protect Canada's cultural identity during trade negotiations.
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LIBERAL PARTY (http://www.liberal.ca/issues/arts-culture/)
* Will significantly increase support for Canadian artists and creators by doubling the annual budget of the Canada Council for the Arts, from $180 million to $360 million over the next four years.
* Will restore the PromArt and Trade Routes cultural promotion programs, increasing their funding to $25 million. The new annual funding will help to create a domestic tours program as well.
* Will work to pass effective copyright legislation.
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NDP (http://www.ndp.ca/platform/leadership-in-canada#section-5-2)
* Will increase public funding for the Canada Council.
* Will strongly support Canada's performing arts, cultural institutions, and creators.
* Will explore the creation of a new international arts touring fund to replace the now-defunct Trade Routes and PromArt programs.
* Will implement tax averaging for artists and cultural workers.
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Canadian Actors' Equity Association
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