The CCF/FCMA expresses our congratulations to the newly appointed Cabinet Ministers of the Conservative government. A mixture of new and familiar faces make up the positions related to the Craft sector, both in the official cabinet and the NDP’s shadow cabinet.

Key players include the returning Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages, Mr. James Moore, who has held this position since 2008.  The youngest ever to take on this position, Minister Moore has focused on issues of copyright, the Olympics, new media and digital technologies. Shadowing Minister Moore is Mr. Tyrone Benskin, an individual with extensive experience in theatre and as a veteran VP of ACTRA.

Another returning Minister is Ms. Diane Finley, who has held the position at Human Resources and Skills Development since 2008.  This department deals with training and professional development, including programs for the cultural industries.  While the main voice of opposition will be Ms. Jean Crowder, the Shadow Cabinet includes a total of six NDP representatives taking on different aspects of the department. (Focusing on Post Secondary Education and Skills are Ms. Rathika Sitsabaiesan and Ms. Marjolaine Boutin-Sweet respectively.)

Other noteworthy appointments include the Honourable John Barid, the former Leader of the Government in the House of Commons, as the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Honourable Ed Fast as Minister of International Trade.  Minister Fast has quite a bit of experience in the cultural realm, having sat on the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage for many years. Shadowing each Minister is Mr. Paul Dewar for Foreign Affairs and Mr. Robert Chisholm for International Trade.

For more information on the new Cabinet Ministers, see the Canadian Conference of the Arts.

It is our hope these individuals will include culture and heritage as a major part of their developmental plans.  The CCF/FCMA stands at the ready to consult on, discuss and review federal cultural policy in any department.  As the official representative of the Canadian Craft Industry, it is our duty and pleasure to do so.