Highlights:
Vol. 2, No. 1, Januaryr 2004
New Heritage Minister Eager to Pursue
Cultural Diversity Campaign
New Minister of
Canadian Heritage Hélène Chalifour Scherrer used a number
of media interviews in late January to signal her support for the cultural
diversity file.
Following a meeting with Quebec Minister of Culture and Communications
Line Beauchamp, Minister Scherrer granted an interview with Manon Cornellier
that ran in the January 22 edition of Le Devoir in which she pronounced
herself eager to pursue the campaign for a global convention on cultural
diversity at the international level. Describing the cultural diversity
file as ‘close to her heart’ the Minister said that ‘Very
soon I want to make my presence felt at the international level because
these are shoes I want to fill."
The Minister returned to this theme in an interview later the same week
with Ray Conlogue of the Globe and Mail. At the same time, she emphasized
the importance of obtaining clear support from provincial governments
in addition to Quebec in favour of this direction.
The Minister also emphasized the importance of the cultural diversity
campaign when she spoke at a cocktail held in her honour by Astral Communications
on January 23, and also discussed the current state of play on the file
with Coalition co-chair Pierre Curzi, who was also present at the reception.
Quebec Premier Highlights Support
for Cultural Diversity Campaign
in U.K., Switzerland and Germany
Quebec Premier Jean
Charest continues to use speeches on the international stage as opportunities
to advance the campaign for a convention on cultural diversity—and
to underline his government’s support for this initiative.
Speaking January 21 at a meeting of the Canada-United Kingdom Chamber
of Commerce in London, Premier
Charest told the audience that Quebec "is one of many proponents,
from all continents and many cultures, that actively supports an international
agreement on cultural diversity under the auspices of UNESCO. Such an
agreement would guarantee to states and governments the right to develop
and implement policies promoting culture in all its manifestations."
The Premier also emphasized that Quebec’s support for the cultural
diversity campaign was consistent with a commitment to open borders for
trade. "To that endeavour, I am proud to add, we bring impeccable
free trade credentials….Quebecers are among Canada's most enthusiastic
promoters of free trade, and have been for quite some time now. "
On January 23, in Davos, Switzerland, Charest returned to his government’s
support for the convention on cultural diversity while participating on
a panel at the World Economic Forum, a leading international forum attended
by numerous heads of state and major business figures. The Premier’s
panel focused on the theme of putting transatlantic relations on the road
to recovery—a discussion which was to be attended by a number of
European leaders, including the presidents of Finland and Slovenia, as
well as the prime minister of Denmark and the President of the European
Parliament.
Premier Charest concluded his European mission with a trip to Germany
during which he met with Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder. Their meeting included
a discussion of the status of the cultural diversity campaign.
CCD Participates in Canadian Cultural
Enterprises Forum in Paris
Cultural Diversity was a featured
theme of Canada’s first ever Forum
on Cultural Enterprises, held in Paris January 12-14 and organized
by the Trade Routes section of Canadian Heritage.
Organized with a view to fostering contacts and projects between Canada’s
cultural industries and their counterparts in French-speaking Europe
and Africa, the three-day forum was attended by more than 600 participants,
including 200 representatives from Canada’s cultural industries.
On January 13, Robert Pilon, the Executive Vice President of the Coalition
for Cultural Diversity took part in a panel moderated by journalist
Denise Bombardier on the subject of cultural diversity and the cultural
enterprises, which examined the social and economic challenges arising
from globalization, the response by governments to support diversity
and cultural enterprises, with a particular focus on what developing
nations are doing to foster their cultural industries.
The cultural diversity panel also featured Milagros Del Corral, Deputy
Assistant Director-General for Culture at UNESCO, and the agency’s
Director of the Division of Arts and Cultural Enterprises; David Diaz
Benavides, Head, Department of Trade Services, UNCTAD; acclaimed author
and composer Mory Kante of Guinea; and Philip Stone, Executive Director,
Trade Routes, for Canadian Heritage.
Pilon also joined Jean-Pierre Blais, Assistant Deputy Minister, International
and Intergovernmental Affairs, Canadian Heritage, for an interview with
Radio-Canada television, which was broadcast January 12.
Barbara Motzney Moves on to Rep Fed. Govt.
for 2010 Vancouver Olympics Planning
After close to
four years as the Department of Canadian Heritage’s point person
on the cultural diversity file, Barbara Motzney has moved to head up the
department’s strategic planning and operations section for the 2010
Olympics in Vancouver.
Her new title is Director, Strategic Policy and Operations, Canadian Heritage
2010 Games Secretariat.
Artur Wilczynski has been appointed Acting Director of International Relations
and Policy Development, taking on the responsibilities Barbara Motzney
held previously.
Motzney will be continuing to chair the International Network on Cultural
Policy’s Working Group on Cultural Diversity and Globalization on
an interim basis as that group continues its work in advance of the 2004
INCP ministerial scheduled next fall in China.
Update is published by
Canada's Coalition for Cultural Diversity.
154 Laurier Ave. West, Suite 240
Montreal, QUE H2T 2N7
T. (514) 277-2666
F. (514) 277-9994
www.cdc-ccd.org
e-mail:
Editor: Jim McKee
Contributors: Robert Pilon,
Mélanie Marron, Sylvie
Riendeau