Canadian Federal Budget Arts Points

Harper actually back pedaled a little in this one - he actually restored some canceled programs and/or DIDN'T cancel another rumored program - namely the Canadian Television Fund

Here's the highlights for the arts portion:

• Increasing funding by $20 million over the next two years and $13 million per year thereafter to the National Arts Training Contribution Program.
• Providing $30 million over the next two years to support continued access to Canadian magazines and community newspapers.
• Providing $28.6 million over the next two years to the Canada New Media Fund, and $14.3 million annually thereafter.
• Providing the Canadian Television Fund with $200 million in funding over the next two years.
• Providing $40 million to the Canadian Tourism Commission over two years to support marketing activities, such as the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games.
• Providing $12 million per year in 2011–12 and 2012–13 for infrastructure to promote international cruise ship tourism along the Saint Lawrence and Saguenay Rivers.
• Providing $100 million over two years for marquee festivals and events that promote tourism.
• Supporting Canada’s parks with $75 million over two years for improvements and enhancements to Parks Canada’s visitor facilities, such as campgrounds and visitor centres.
• Providing an additional $75 million to Parks Canada for upgrades to National Historic Sites, including a number of sites connected with the 200th anniversary of the War of 1812.

To sum it up - providing the Canadian Television Fund with $200 million in funding over the next two years, while this sounds all fine and dandy its needs to be examined with the thought that the fund was rumored to have been in danger of not being renewed. Have to do the math still but this doesn't appear to be any greater than the amounts normally pledged per annum. This simply reinstates the fund.

Thanks Mr. Harper for deciding not to trash the Canadian Television Fund. Now where's the stimulus?

Increasing funding by $20 million over the next two years and 13 M per year there after to the National Arts Training Contribution program - This item simply restores the money they already took out. NSI and the Canadian Film Institute get a reprieve. Thanks Mr. Harper.

Providing 28.6 million over the next two years to the Canada New Media Fund and 14.3 million per year thereafter - As far as I can tell this was already pretty much in the works anyway.

In addition to this there is a few bucks in for local theatres and a dollop for festivals, and a whack for Parks...

All we can really be thankful for is that most of this is restoring programs that they had previously trashed. We can still continue as before but without any really big stimulus packages that will allow us to get back on the train of productions that we once had.