Minister of Canadian Heritage Hosts Meeting on Diversity and Culture
HALIFAX, February 20, 2003 -- Minister of Canadian Heritage Sheila Copps today hosted the fourth of five preparatory meetings for the upcoming Minister's Forum on Diversity and Culture, which will take place at the Canadian Museum of Civilization, in Gatineau, Quebec, on April 22 and 23, 2003.The Minister's Forum on Diversity and Culture will seek to find ways to better reflect Canada's diversity in cultural policies and programs. It will help increase knowledge throughout the Government of Canada of the possibilities that culturally diverse communities represent and of the challenges that they face in gaining access to cultural programs.
"In Winnipeg, Vancouver, Montreal, and now Halifax, we want to actively engage creators in the planning of the Forum," said Minister Copps. "Our goal is to ensure that the opportunities for all Canadians to participate in the cultural life of Canada keep pace with the increasingly rich and diverse reality of our society."
"In order to maximize opportunity for consultation, the Forum's new Web site http://www.diversityandculture.gc.ca is being launched today," added Minister Copps. "It will allow artists to comment on the issues addressed at these regional meetings and at the Forum itself. I encourage all Canadians to express their thoughts and concerns."
"The Forum will represent an opportunity for artists from various cultural and racial communities to forge ties, exchange ideas, and take an active part in the decision-making process of their Government," said Secretary of State (Multiculturalism) (Status of Women) Jean Augustine.
The Halifax regional meeting, held at Pier 21, provided an opportunity to consult with artists and community leaders of the Atlantic provinces on cultural issues, and to build on discussions that took place at meetings in Winnipeg, Vancouver and Montreal.
Ethno-cultural and visible minority communities, Aboriginal people, cultural organizations, artists, directors and producers, and academics are among those involved in preparatory discussions leading up to the Minister's Forum on Diversity and Culture. Government participants include representatives of Canadian Heritage and the Portfolio Agencies, which include the National Film Board, the Canada Council for the Arts, and Telefilm Canada. Prominent private and non-profit sector leaders in the arts community are also involved.
The next pre-Forum meeting will take place in Toronto on March 7.
Via Rail and First Air have agreed to sponsor transportation of participants to the Forum taking place in April.
Information :
Sonya-Kim St-Julien
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of
Canadian Heritage
(819) 997-7788
Naline Rampersad
Press Secretary
Office of the Secretary of State
(Multiculturalism) (Status of Women)
(819) 997-9900
BACKGROUNDER-
MINISTER'S FORUM ON DIVERSITY AND CULTURE
The Minister's Forum on Diversity and Culture will be co-hosted by Minister of Canadian Heritage Sheila Copps and Secretary of State (Multiculturalism) (Status of Women) Jean Augustine, at the Canadian Museum of Civilization, in Gatineau, Quebec, on April 22 and 23, 2003.
PURPOSE OF THE FORUM
To bring culturally diverse communities and cultural decision-makers together, and to find ways to better reflect Canada's diversity in our cultural policies and programs.
OBJECTIVES
To increase knowledge among cultural decision-makers of the needs and capacity of culturally diverse communities
To increase knowledge among culturally diverse communities of the availability of national cultural programs and activities
To build on experiences and expertise of communities and cultural institutions
To facilitate networking among participants and strengthen relationships
To celebrate culturally diverse artistic expression
CONTEXT
Rapidly changing Canadian demographics challenge the traditional formulation of cultural policy and programming. At the same time, there is an increasing demand for diverse cultural expression.
PRE-FORUM MEETINGS
During the months leading up to the Forum, Minister of Canadian Heritage Sheila Copps and Secretary of State
(Multiculturalism) (Status of Women) Jean Augustine are holding a series of pre-Forum meetings across the country, to invite active participation in planning the Forum in order to ensure that it meets its objectives. Pre-Forum meetings were held in Winnipeg (November 13, 2002), Vancouver (January 14, 2003), Montreal (January 24, 2003), and Halifax (February 20). The next pre-forum meeting will be held in Toronto (March 7).
ORGANIZATION OF THE FORUMA
Steering CommitteePlanning for the Forum is guided by a Steering Committee representing a broad range of expertise and knowledge in the field of diversity and culture in Canada. The Committee's role is to provide advice to the Department of Canadian Heritage on the Forum's structure and content, as well as on the continued evolution of diversity and culture.A Participatory ApproachThe Forum will emphasize participation and discussion, drawing on the experiences, perceptions and opinions of the participants, as well as those of cultural decision-makers.
Participants from across the country will be invited. They will be artists and creators; producers and presenters; distributors; educators; representatives of the private and not-for-profit sectors; and decision-makers from Canadian Heritage and the Portfolio Agencies, which include among others the National Film Board, the Canada Council of Arts, and Telefilm Canada. As well, the general public can have access to the Forum through the Diversity and Culture Web site.
ACROSS-THE-BOARD CHANGE
The goal of the Forum is to achieve a better reflection of diversity in our cultural products and institutions. The arts (visual, media, literary, performing, and interdisciplinary), heritage (museums, archives, libraries, public galleries, and collections), and media
(film, video, publishing, broadcasting, sound recording, and new media) will provide groupings to facilitate discussion.
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