WRITERS’ UNION REACTS TO BEV ODA'S RECENT ANNOUNCEMENT

“The Writers’ Union of Canada is surprised and gratified by the Federal Government's recent promise of a $30 million base to the Canada Council which for fifty years has generously supported Canadian writing, one of Canada's most successful exports,” says Susan Swan, Chair of the Writers’ Union. "However the Federal Government's promise is significantly less than that offered by previous governments. Heritage Minister Bev Oda has yet to make a peep about restoring the $11.8 million in cuts made by her government to funding for the promotion of Canadian artists and writers abroad," Swan adds. "Liberal leader Stéphan Dion has already promised $22.8 million for the international promotion of Canadian arts and culture. We are asking the other Federal parties if they can do the same or better. So far Dion has demonstrated the most convincing support for the arts, perhaps because he comes from Quebec, a province that already understands that the arts are crucial to the expression of national identity," Swan says.

Executive Director of the Writers’ Union Deborah Windsor says Minister Oda's announcement shows that the Federal Government is beginning to recognize the value of the arts which gives back $7.00 for every dollar invested and represents over 600,000 Canadians working in the cultural industries, more than gas, oil, and mining. "To invest in the arts in Canada is to invest in excellence," Windsor adds.

Last fall, Deborah Windsor and author Margaret Atwood met with Minister Oda. They urged Oda, without success, to restore funding cuts to cultural programs abroad. Thanks to the current government and its funding cuts there is almost no money to promote a Canadian writer or filmmaker or artist in another country. In addition, Deborah Windsor has also been working extensively with the Canada Council and its strategic planning committee. Windsor and Swan along with a group of Canada's most celebrated authors recently met with Stéphan Dion who wanted to consult with writers and artists about a new Liberal policy on the arts. The meeting with Dion followed months of lobbying the Federal Government about the value of the arts.

The Writers' Union of Canada is our country's national organization representing professional authors of books. Founded in 1973, the Union is dedicated to fostering writing in Canada, and promoting the rights, freedoms, and economic well being of all writers. For more information, please visit www.writersunion.ca.

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