1. What role do the arts play in your life?

2. What role do the arts play in keeping people healthy?
New Democrats believe that the presence of artists is essential to vibrant communities and cities. We also believe that the arts can spark community revitalization. The arts provide opportunities for leisure, relaxation, and stimulation, all of which are essential to keeping people healthy.

3. Why is it important that Toronto have a healthy arts sector?
In addition to providing a vital economic engine for the city, the arts sector is integral to identity as a city and to our place within Canada as a whole. New Democrats believe that a vibrant arts community, supported by adequate funding, is critical to fostering the diversity and dynamism that make our city great.

4. Does your party believe that Canadian content and ownership should be protected in our broadcasting industry?
Yes. New Democrats believe that the Canadian government must take strong action to preserve and promote the creation of Canadian art and culture. Government incentives are essential for the creation and distribution of home-grown material.

New Democrats would implement the recommendations of the Heritage Committee Report to support distinctly Canadian media industries, which included increased stable funding for a stronger CBC, the biggest domestic market for Canadian productions; promoting more Canadian-made productions; promoting regional and local programming; preserving foreign ownership restrictions; and stopping cross-media mergers until a clear government policy is announced.

The NDP spoke out strongly against the Liberal government’s cuts to the federal contribution to the Canadian Television Fund by 25% in 2003, while film and video tax credits for foreign production were increased. We believe that CTF and similar initiatives should be properly funded in order to achieve their aims of supporting Canadian programming and content.

5. Our artists help make our society prosperous, yet many of them work and live in relative poverty. How can the Federal Government assist in returning some of that prosperity to our artists?
New Democrats believe that our artists should not struggle in poverty. Accordingly, members of the NDP caucus in the House of Commons have proposed an income tax exemption for artists, writers and performers making up to $30,000, which would represent a gesture of support for our artistic community. They have also called on the government to change the Income Tax Act to exempt creative and interpretive artists from paying income tax on a percentage of income derived from copyright, neighbouring rights, and/or other income derived from the sale of any creative work. Unfortunately, the Liberal government has declined to support either of these proposals.

The NDP platform includes the following commitments:

• Support for Canadian visual and performing artists through project-based grants and tax credits
• Ensuring that all Canadians who make less than $15,000 a year pay no federal income tax, and starting a 10-year national housing program to build 200,000 housing units, renovate 100,000 existing units and provide rent supplements to 40,000 low-income tenants.

6. Do you support federal investment in Canada’s arts sector? Does investment in the arts produce a health dividend? An educational dividend? A public safety dividend? If elected, would you vote to increase funding to the arts sector through The Canada Council? Through Department of Canadian Heritage? Do you support provision of stable, adequate, multi-year arts funding?
Yes to all of the above. We believe that our arts, culture and media are vital to preserving our cultural sovereignty and independence as a nation. Accordingly, a New Democratic Party government would increase federal funding for arts, culture and media by $240 million within one year. We would also advocate for improved income tax incentives for those who support arts, culture and heritage.