Closing of the Meeting of Federal/Provincial-Territorial Ministers Responsible for Culture and Heritage

St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
August 12, 2010

Thank you.

On behalf of Prime Minister Stephen Harper and the Government of Canada, I would like to thank all of you for the fruitful discussions we've had today.

As Tom Perlmutter pointed out in his presentation, the digital revolution is creating new industries and transforming traditional ones as it alters the organization of the various aspects of our lives, connecting Canadians in ways that could only have been dreamed of a few short years ago.

The challenges and opportunities presented to us by this climate of change are great and I am confident that today's deliberations on Fostering Arts and Heritage in Changing Times will prove useful as move forward.

It's clear that we all agree that investing in arts, culture and heritage makes good sense.

One of Canada's fastest growing sectors, our cultural industries are a driving force in a strong and vibrant Canadian economy. Every dollar of public money our governments spend on arts, culture and heritage is a solid investment in our collective future.

We are making steady progress, attracting foreign investment and promoting Canada as a cultural tourism destination worth exploring.

As we join forces to create a fertile environment for our homegrown talent to flourish, we are not only developing our creative economy, we are also piquing the interest of previously untapped audiences who will want to discover the best that Canadian art, culture and heritage have to offer.

For example, during the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games, the Cultural Olympiad featured more than 900 performances, highlighting the talent of artists from every corner of the country.

Investing in our artists allows them to shine and ignites interest in our country, enticing visitors from all corners of the globe to check out what Canada has to offer. A vibrant and diversified tourism industry is just one of the many spinoff benefits these investments create. And let's not forget about the development of critical skills essential for maintaining our leading edge in the knowledge-based global economy.

Thank you.