Status of Ontario's Artists Act Just Window Dressing
TORONTO, May 11 - - ACTRA Toronto President Karl Pruner expressed
ACTRA's deep disappointment in the Status of Ontario's Artists Act, passed
yesterday as part of the budget package.
Responding to statements by Minister of Culture Caroline Di Cocco, Pruner
said, "The government of Ontario failed artists with this Bill. This Act does
nothing to alleviate the difficult financial and working conditions of
artists."
Artists are among the most underpaid workers in our economy and they are
without many of the protections and benefits that other workers rely on. In
the 2003 election, this government promised to bring in Status of the Artist
legislation to address these concerns.
ACTRA and other artists' groups appeared before the legislative committee
studying the bill to ask for amendments that would make the Act meaningful for
artists. Liberal MPPs on the committee voted down the amendments.
"The government had an opportunity to make a difference to the lives of
artists and they blew it. I am astounded that the Minister of Culture is
trumpeting this as an achievement. The Act ignores the recommendations of her
own sub-committee and it fails to provide any real support for artists. It is
nothing more than window dressing," said Pruner.
ACTRA Toronto Performers is the largest organization within ACTRA,
representing more than 13,000 of Canada's 21,000 professional performers
working in the English-language recorded media in Canada. As an advocate for
Canadian culture since 1943, ACTRA is a member-driven organization that
continues to secure the rights and respect for the work of professional
performers.
