Image details: installation view of David Wilson Sookinakin’s Pictograph Roots. Foreground: David Wilson Sookinakin, Seven Wariors – Canoe, 2024, Yellow Cedar and laser cut, powder coated metal, 60 x 84 x 36 in. Background: David Wilson Sookinakin, To the Land, 2023, 150 pcs, 12x12in, acrylic on canvas

Date: April 22, 2025

Canada Votes 2025

With election day approaching quickly approaching, VPAG’s Executive Director, Dauna
Kennedy, reached out to each of the candidates for the Vernon-Lake Country-Monashee
electoral district to learn where they stand on Culture.

“Culture in our community is at the forefront with the new cultural facility becoming a
reality in the near future. On behalf of the the cultural community in Vernon-Lake
Country-Monashee, I’d like to offer you the opportunity to answer the following
questions that we will then share with our network for their consideration in this federal
election.”

As of the time of publication we have received a response from one candidate whose answers
are published below.

Answers:

Anna Warwick Sears, Liberal Party Candidate

Can you outline your party’s policies for supporting arts & culture?

The Liberal Party of Canada has a long history of supporting arts and culture, we have:

• Committed $1.9 billion to support the arts, culture, heritage, and sport sectors through
• the pandemic to help them recover
• Created $200-million two-year Major Festivals and Events Support Initiative
• 2022 – Canada Arts and Culture Recovery Program (CACRP) – provided $50 million in
• 2022-23 to help Canadian arts, cultural and heritage organizations who experienced
• reduced revenues while dealing with capacity reductions and audiences hesitant to
• return to in-person activities, due to COVID-19.
• Funding currently available to support Arts &Culture:
• Building Communities Through Arts and Heritage Program
• Canada Arts Presentation Fund
• Canada Arts Training Fund
• Canada Book Fund
• Canada Cultural Investment Fund
• Canada Cultural Spaces Fund
• Canada History Fund
• Canada Media Fund
• Canada Music Fund
• Canada Periodical Fund
• Canada Travelling Exhibitions Indemnification Program
• Canadian Conservation Institute internship programs
• Canadian Film or Video Production Tax Credit
• Celebrate Canada
• Changing Narratives Fund
• Commemorate Canada
• Court Challenges Program
• Creative Export Canada
• Destination Clic – French Enrichment Bursary Program
• Digital Citizen Research Program
• Documentary Heritage Community Program
• Economic Development Initiative
• Exchanges Canada
• Explore – Second Language Bursary
• Film or Video Production Services Tax Credit
• Funding for Commemorating the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
• Indigenous Languages and Culture Program
• Joint Initiatives for Digital Citizen Research
• List, Hear Our Voices initiative
• Local Journalism Initiative
• Movable Cultural Property Grants
• Multiculturism and Anti-Racism Program
• Museums Assistance Program
• National Acadian Day
• Odyssey – Language Assistant Program
• Official Languages Support Program
• Sport Canada Hosting Program
• Young Canada Works
• Youth Take Charge Program
• And the future support from the Liberal Party of Canada if elected is to:
• Pledge to protect Canada’s national identity by strengthening CBC / Radio Canada:
• In this time of crisis, protecting our identity is a critical part of keeping Canada strong
• Equipping them to further promote and support Canadian culture
• Evidence that the Liberals see arts and culture as a core part of the Canadian identity

How will you leverage the funding and programs provided by Heritage Canada,
including those through the Canada Council for the Arts, to support and enhance
cultural and heritage initiatives in our riding? What steps will you take to ensure the
organizations within the new cultural centre and throughout our riding benefit from
these resources?

If elected I would work to ensure a) that this funding remain in place to support Arts and
Culture across Canada and b) that our local community groups and organizations are aware
of these funding opportunities to help bridge the gap between funding and art installations,
event productions and cultural exhibits.

How do you plan to advocate for policies that will boost the cultural economy in
Vernon – Lake Country – Monashee and create sustainable growth?

The Liberal Government has always been a champion of Arts and Culture in our
communities, and we would continue to be a champion if elected. The Liberal Party of
Canada has pledged to protect Canada’s national identity by strengthening CBC / Radio
Canada:

• In this time of crisis, protecting our identity is a critical part of keeping Canada strong
• Equipping them to further promote and support Canadian culture
• Evidence that the Liberals see arts and culture as a core part of the Canadian identity

We understand the economic impact of arts and culture (see our answers below), and
because of this we understand what it takes to nurture and maintain sustainable growth in
this very important sector of our economy and our life as Canadians.

Economic Impact of Arts and Culture: What is your party’s stance on the economic
impact of arts and culture?

The Liberal Party of Canada understand that the arts make a vital contribution to our
economy; help improve overall health and well-being of Canadians; and strengthen society:

• The arts and culture sector contributes nearly $60 billion towards Canada’s GDP
• Almost 850,000 people work in cultural jobs in Canada. This is similar to the workforce
• in hospitals and more than two times that on farms
• Arts and culture tourism has triple the economic impact of other types of tourism
• The WHO found the arts play a major role in preventing, managing, and treating
• illnesses, as well as promoting health and well-being
• The arts can significantly reduce stress – after spending as little as 30 minutes with art.
• The overall health of Canadians is strongly linked to their participation in arts, culture,
• and heritage activities.
• Arts and culture participation boosts civic engagement, democracy, and social
• cohesion.
• People who participate in arts and culture feel a stronger sense of belonging in
• Canada.
• Arts and culture education improves students’ academic performance.

How do you propose to work with your counterparts at the provincial and municipal
levels to ensure that our cultural institutions remain vibrant?

I spent the last two decades of my professional life working with the many people and
organizations across government levels and sectors to achieve solutions, and I would do the
same for the people of Vernon – Lake Country – Monashee to ensure that our cultural
institutions remain vibrant. I am a collaborator by nature and would use this skill to benefit
the cultural institutions, and people in our riding.