VANCOUVER – As Canadians celebrate the Juno Awards and recognize the incredible talent of Canadian artists, the Green Party of Canada is calling attention to the urgent need to protect and invest in Canadian arts, culture, and media.
“The arts are the heartbeat of our society,” said Green Party Co-Leader Jonathan Pedneault. “They enrich our lives, foster creativity, preserve cultural diversity, and provide a platform for activism. Yet, artists and arts organizations across Canada are struggling under the weight of inadequate funding and political attacks on public broadcasting, not to mention the oligarchic forces of American owned social media multinationals.”
Despite its vital role in telling Canadian stories, CBC/Radio-Canada is under threat. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has vowed to “defund the CBC,” echoing past Conservative efforts to weaken public broadcasting. The CBC is the only media organization that serves Canadians in both official languages and eight Indigenous ones, reaching communities from coast to coast to coast. Defunding it would not only jeopardize the livelihoods of media professionals but also weaken Canada’s cultural identity, sovereignty and silence the voices of remote and rural populations.
“This is not just about one broadcaster,” said Green Party Co-Leader Elizabeth May. “It’s about protecting Canadian content from being drowned out by U.S. media giants. We need to stand up for Canadian voices, stories, and perspectives, not silence them.”
To ensure a thriving arts sector, the Green Party is calling for the restoration of the Canada Council for the Arts’ budget to its 2021 level of $500 million. This would help alleviate the growing funding shortfall that has left many artists and arts organizations struggling to survive. Investing in the arts is not just about supporting individual artists—it is about strengthening the cultural fabric of Canada and ensuring that Canadian voices continue to be heard on the national and international stage.
The Green Party also recognizes that arts funding has long been distributed unfairly, leaving many communities underfunded and overlooked. To address these regional disparities, Greens propose directing restored funds toward communities that have historically received less support. One way to achieve this would be by implementing the Regional Development Agency model for arts funding, ensuring resources are distributed equitably and proportionately across the country. This model has been successfully used for other federal funding programs and could help ensure that artists—no matter where they live—receive the support they need to thrive.
“Artists are the storytellers of our nation,” added Pedneault. “We need to invest in them, not abandon them. The Green Party is committed to ensuring a thriving, inclusive arts sector—one that represents all voices and reaches all communities.”
Green MP Mike Morrice echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the economic importance of the arts sector. “The arts are not just an essential part of our cultural identity—they are a key economic driver, employing hundreds of thousands of Canadians,” said Morrice. “Investing in the arts means investing in good, sustainable jobs. We need to recognize the value of our creative industries and ensure they have the support needed to thrive.”
As the Junos celebrate some of Canada’s best musical achievements, the Green Party of Canada urges all Canadians to stand up for public broadcasting, fair arts funding, and the protection of Canadian culture, with all of its diversity.
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