News Release

SAINT ANDREWS (GNB) – Federal, provincial and territorial ministers responsible for culture and heritage met on July 8 in Saint Andrews to discuss topics of mutual interest. In particular, they agreed to continue to work together toward marking the 150th anniversary of Confederation throughout the country.

The meeting was co-chaired by Canadian Heritage and Official Languages Minister Shelly Glover and Tourism, Heritage and Culture Minister Bill Fraser.

“I am proud to have hosted colleagues from all jurisdictions and was pleased to welcome everyone to the beautiful seaside community of Saint Andrews,” said Fraser. “We held meaningful discussions around arts, heritage and cultural issues, including the socio-economic conditions of professional artists.”

The 150th anniversary of Confederation in 2017 represents a unique opportunity for all Canadians. It will provide an occasion to connect with the past, celebrate Canadian achievements and give back to the country as a legacy for future generations. The ministers acknowledged that a key factor in successfully recognizing this milestone is for all partners – from private and public sectors, community and non-profit settings – to come together. They agreed that by aligning their efforts, they will maximize the cultural, heritage and economic impacts of this historical moment in which Canada will showcase its cultural diversity and its history and heritage.

“As the 150th anniversary of Confederation approaches, we remain committed to working cooperatively with our provincial and territorial partners to strengthen our communities, enrich the quality of life of Canadians and provide a lasting legacy for our future generations,” said Glover.

Many other priorities and mutual projects were addressed at the meeting. The ministers talked about the first provincial and territorial data results stemming from the Culture Satellite Account, whose success is due to their collaborative efforts.

They discussed ways to stimulate, advance and grow the Canadian creative industries; the sustainable conservation of heritage buildings in Canada; and the socio-economic conditions of artists.

“New Brunswick was grateful for this wonderful opportunity to share with colleagues our deep commitment to arts and culture, as we implement the province’s Cultural Policy with increased funding support,” said Fraser. “Support for the policy reflects our government’s recognition of the importance of investing in culture, both from an economic and social perspective, to further enable the arts and the economy to interconnect and interrelate.”

The ministers also endorsed their 2015-18 strategic framework, which will guide their work on culture and heritage for the next three years.

At the end of the meeting, the ministers reiterated the importance of continuing to encourage and promote arts, culture and heritage. The British Columbia delegation officially invited the federal, provincial and territorial ministers to their province in 2016 to continue working together on the 150th anniversary of Confederation and pursue discussions on cultural and heritage matters.