Songwriters - Your Voice is Your Vote.

The new political party chosen in the upcoming elections on October 21st, 2019,  will play a crucial role in the future of the Arts in Canada.

The government that is elected will play a critical role in the leadership of arts and culture in this country. 

The S.A.C. would like to thank the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage and Multiculturalism and the Standing Committee on Industry, Science and Technology for inviting creator input through their independent studies of copyright reform. We also  want to thank the Canada Music Fund for continued support received for programming and Employment and Social Development Canada for Canada Summer Jobs grants.

We want every federal party candidate to know about the impact and importance of arts and culture funding,  and to commit to taking action to promote an environment where everyone can experience dynamic cultural expressions, celebrate our history and heritage, and build strong communities. Protection of creator rights is central to the political challenges of improving conditions for investment, enhancing Canada's innovation performance, increasing Canada's share of global trade, and building a fair, efficient and competitive marketplace for all Canadians to share.

Individual voters can help ensure that arts and culture remain top of mind for political parties by sharing stories of how work as a music creator impacts you personally and locally. When candidates and canvassers know that the arts is a priority in their riding, they are more likely to take it back to their party for action. In an election, every vote matters—so make yours count for the arts.

There are multiple ways to cast your vote:

Elections Canada Office

There are over 500 offices stationed around Canada. 

The Process
A worker at the Elections Canada Office will have you verify your identity. Once that is confirmed, you will be given a ballot and two envelopes and lead behind the voting screen. After casting your vote, you will put the ballot in the one envelope and put that envelope in the second one and seal it. You will then sign the envelope and place it in the ballot box.

Mailing

If you’re a Canadian Abroad:
Use this link to cast your vote from abroad.

On the Day of the Election (October 21st), Vote at your Assigned Polling Station:

Your polling station location is written on your voter registration card mailed to you on October 2nd.

Check if you’re registered or want to change your address information here.

Eligibility to Vote:

  • Have to be a Canadian Citizen
  • Have to be 18 years old or older on the day of the election: October 21st, 2019
  • Have proof of identity by presenting any card issued by a Canadian Government body (e.g Drivers License)
  • A valid address

These are the running Parties and their platforms on Arts and Culture:

The Coalition for the Diversity of Cultural Expressions (CDCE) launched the SaveOurCulture.ca campaign to "ensure that its main recommendations to protect and promote the diversity of online cultural expressions are adapted by political parties during the election campaign." This article contains the CDCE's recommendations made after analyzing the commitments to culture in the platforms of the five main federal parties.  

To find out more about the Parties' platforms, here is a helpful guide from Macleans magazine.