Patrick Metzger - Green Party

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

Yes, we would.

2) Given the positive affect 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 the 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 Green Party believes that arts and culture help define our identities and communities. The Green Party also recognizes that today over 600,000 Canadians are employed in the cultural sector, and wishes to promote their success by investing in our future musicians, dancers, painters, writers, and other artists. We believe this is necessary because artists are often placed in a precarious financial situation, and they will benefit from innovative financial tools and increased funding.

The Green Party will therefore work towards increasing community arts programs and facilities across Canada by establishing stable base-funding at a set percentage of the federal budget. Additionally, we will establish stable base-funding for young artists, expand support for regional arts festivals that bring new Canadian art to a wider audience and share Canadian history by supporting more educational programming.