Michael Ignatieff - Liberal

1. Will your party commit to upholding the November 2005 Federal commitment to a $342 million increase to arts funding over three years?

The Liberal Government is committed to supporting and promoting Canada's artists and creators on the domestic and international stage. Support for Canada's major arts institutions is a long-term objective of the Liberal Government. The Liberal commitment to the arts is typified by our commitments to the Tomorrow Starts Today Initiative, the Canada Council for the Arts and the UNESCO Convention on the Diversity of Cultural Expressions.

In 2001, the Liberal Government announced the Tomorrow Starts Today initiative, which provides major support for Canadian arts and culture. Since its introduction, the initiative has provided almost $740 million to all aspects of the creative process. Budget 2005 further extended this initiative to $860 million over five years. This multi-year investment will help create stability within the arts and culture community by providing predictable levels of funding in the years to come.

Finally, in November 2005 we committed $342 million over the next three years to increase funding for arts organizations throughout the nation. This type of investment helps build vibrant communities that contribute to the social and economic development of every part of Canada. The new funding will allow arts organizations in all regions of Canada to attain new standards of creative excellence and innovation and provide for artists' tours and shows, both in Canada and abroad.

2. Given the positive effect of arts programming on many aspects of Toronto's daily life including community volunteerism, youth engagement, economic development, employment, tourism and overall quality of life, conjoined with the fact that Toronto's artists fall in the top 25% of education levels and bottom 25% of income levels, can you offer any concrete commitment from your party that will improve the environment for the city's artists?

The Canadian Council of Arts, an arms-length government organization that fosters and promotes the study and production of works in the arts, is a mechanism that supports Canada's artists. In 2004, the Council distributed $132.3 million in grants and prizes to 6,100 artists and art institutions and 14,441 writers.

The Liberal Government also recognizes that reduced taxes help ease the financial burden on low-income Canadians including many of our artists. That is why we starting with Budget 2000 have consistently implemented policies to reduce taxation. The tax rate for individuals who make less than $35,000 annually has now been reduced to 15%. Furthermore, Budget 2005 committed to the progressive increase of the basic amount Canadian's can earn without paying Federal income tax. By 2009, the taxation threshold will increase from $8,000 to $10,000. This will keep more money in the pockets of Canadians who need it the most, including our artists and creators in Toronto.