Bill S-208: An Act respecting the Declaration on the Essential Role of Artists and Creative Expression in Canada

Short Title Short title 1 This Act may be cited as the Declaration on the Essential Role of Artists and Creative Expression in Canada Act . Interpretation Definitions 2 The following definitions apply in this Act. Declaration means the Declaration on the Essential Role of Artists and Creative Expression in Canada that is set out in the schedule to this Act. ( Déclaration ) Minister means the Minister of Canadian Heritage. ( ministre ) Purposes of Act Purposes 3 The purposes of this Act are to (a) affirm the Declaration; and (b) provide a framework for the Government of Canada’s implementation of the Declaration. Action Plan Action plan 4 (1) The Minister must develop an action plan to give expression to the Declaration. Consultations (2) In developing the action plan, the Minister must consult with (a) the Minister of Labour; (b) the Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations; (c) the Minister of Justice; (d) the Minister of Health; (d.1) the Minister responsible for official languages; (e) the Chairperson of the Canada Council for the Arts; (f) provincial government representatives responsible for artists and the arts; (g) artists and organizations whose objects include promotion of artists and the arts; (g.1) French-speaking artists and organizations representing those artists; (g.2) artists who represent the ethnic and racial diversity and all other diversities of Canada and organizations that work on their behalf; (h) First Nations, Inuit and Métis artists and organizations representing those artists; and (i) all other interested persons or organizations that the Minister considers appropriate. Considerations (3) In developing the action plan, the Minister must consider measures to (a) recognize the essential role and contribution of the arts, culture and heritage to the health and the social and economic well-being of everyone in Canada, including all aspects of social justice and reconciliation; (b) increase access to artistic collections, built heritage and artistic events; (c) improve the ability of everyone in Canada, particularly children and youth, to engage in the arts, including the ability to learn and to acquire the knowledge and skills needed to play a musical instrument, draw, dance, compose, write or design; (d) improve the ability of artists in Canada to benefit from their intellectual property and to be free from cultural appropriation; (e) represent artists in Canada and their works to the rest of the world; (f) address barriers experienced by artists with disabilities in accessing places and spaces to create, perform and present their work in both behind-the-scenes spaces and on stages and in galleries, museums, studios and practice spaces, and through online and digital opportunities; and (g) encourage greater investment in all areas related to artists, the arts and creative expression in Canada. Conference (4) Within 180 days after the day on which this Act comes into force, the Minister must convene a conference with the persons and groups mentioned in paragraphs (2)(a) to (i), for the purpose of developing the action plan. Time limit (5) The action plan must be completed as soon as practicable, but no later than two years after the day on which this Act comes into force. Tabling in Parliament (6) The Minister must cause the action plan to be tabled in each House of Parliament on any of the first 15 days on which that House is sitting after the action plan is completed. Action plan made public (7) The Minister must cause the action plan to be published on the departmental website within 15 days after it is tabled in Parliament. Report to Parliament Annual report 5 (1) Within 90 days after the end of each fiscal year, the Minister must prepare a report for the previous fiscal year that sets out the implementation of the action plan prepared under section 4 and the activities undertaken by the their department to achieve the objectives of the Declaration. Tabling (2) The Minister must cause the report to be tabled in each House of Parliament on any of the first 15 days on which that House is sitting after the report is completed. Report made public (3) The Minister must cause the report to be published on the departmental website within 15 days after it is tabled in Parliament. Coming into Force Second anniversary of royal assent 6 Section 5 comes into force on the second anniversary of the day on which this Act receives royal assent.