It's budget time again in the City of Ottawa and staff are proposing funding cuts for heritage, festivals and the arts, from $7.5 million in 2008 to $4 million in 2009.
That's nearly half the funding in an envelope that comprises only 0.35% of the city budget.
Family history is an integral part of the heritage community in Ottawa. We need to hang together, or we'll hang separately.
Show your support by sending a clear message to the Mayor and City Councillors. There's further information in the message below from the Council of Heritage Organizations of Ottawa.
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| November 12, 2008 le 12 novembre 2008 | | Dear CHOO/COPO Members and supporters of our local heritage,
URGENT ACTION REQUIRED! A STRONG VOICE FOR HERITAGE!
The City of Ottawa is yet again proposing massive cuts to funding for heritage, festivals and the arts. City staff has recommended a 42% cut to all cultural funding! - 100% cut in funding to all 3 heritage service organizations (CHOO/COPO, Heritage Ottawa and the Ottawa Museum Network),
- 100% cut to historical societies and all heritage project grants!
- 100% cut in funding for festivals, special events and fairs
- 24% cut to budgets at all eight community museums
- Funding commitments for addressing crucial preventative maintenance work in the city's Archives will not be honoured!
| | IMPACT ON HERITAGE COMMUNITY | | - 9 people within the community museums and heritage sector will lose their jobs
- Heritage service organizations will shut down and no longer provide service to members and the community
- Capacity of museums to provide programming for schools, children and seniors will decrease dramatically
- Workers' Heritage Museum will be forced to close
- Museum artifacts and archives collections will not receive adequate levels of care
| | KEY MESSAGES | | - Of the $9 Million in proposed service cuts, arts, heritage and festivals make up almost 45% of the cuts - totaling $4.1 million. This is an unfair and disproportionate burden on our local cultural community
- Loss of funding from municipal government means no more leveraging of funds from federal, provincial and private sources - If our own municipality does not support heritage other levels will not pick up the slack
- ANY cuts to arts, heritage and festivals programs and organizations are unacceptable. We want 100% of funding to arts, heritage and festivals to be reinstated
- ALL proposed increases to funding already committed should be followed-through on (the Museums Sustainability Plan, preventative conservation care for city's archival collections, Arts Investment Strategy)
- The City of Ottawa urgently needs to develop a budgeting process to ensure that community organizations are not crippled by the annual "budget crisis"
| | A UNITED APPROACH | |
We must make our individual and collective voices heard, The cuts proposed by the City of Ottawa to heritage programs and organizations, arts and festivals are unacceptable.
On Monday, November 10, 2008, a meeting was held with representatives from festival, arts and heritage organizations in attendance.
- that we will move forward together with a strong, united voice;
- that we are not willing to let the City split up cuts as line items on their budget sheet, essentially dividing us; and
- that we are only willing to discuss budget implications to the entire culture portfolio.
We all must work collectively with our partner and member organizations, supporters, sponsors, volunteers, arts and cultural groups, participants and audience members to contact their ward Councillor and the Mayor to get our message through loud and clear - Our Ottawa still includes Culture! | | WE NEED YOUR HELP. Your voice can make a difference! | | Write to your Councillor by e-mail or letter and speak to the key messages we have outlined - Customize the letter to your own personal experience and contribution to the heritage sector
- REMEMBER to ensure that your mailing address is included - Councillors need to know that you live in their ward - otherwise your message will be ignored!
- Unsure who your councillor is? Click here and simply enter in your address to find out. (Councillors' contact info are listed at the bottom of this message)
- Share and forward this message within your networks, friends and colleagues and other supporters of arts and heritage and urge them to voice their support by writing to their councillor
Attend a Public Consultation - Make your voice heard during the 2009 draft budget public consultations.
- A list of dates and instructions is available on the City of Ottawa website here.
Register to Speak to Committee of the Whole - Make a five-minute presentation at a Committee of the Whole meeting.
- Monday December 1st or Tuesday December 2nd, 2008, possibly Wednesday December 3rd.
- To register call 613-580-2424 ext. 12487
| | It is time to take action.
It is time to speak with a united voice.
Our Ottawa still includes Culture!
Best regards,
Meg Hamilton, Executive Director,
CHOO/COPO
manager@choocopo.ca
www.choocopo.ca
(613) 562-0405 | | Ottawa City Councillors - Contact Info | | When writing your city councillor -
MAKE SURE TO INCLUDE YOU NAME & ADDRESS AT THE VERY TOP OF YOUR EMAIL/LETTER
If you do not include your mailing address your email/letter will be deleted Councillor Alex Cullen
Ward 7 - Bay
Tel: 613-580-2477
Fax: 613-580-2517
Alex.Cullen@ottawa.ca
Councillor Diane Deans
Ward 10 - Gloucester-Southgate
Tel:613-580-2480
Fax: 613-580-2520
Diane.Deans@ottawa.ca
Councillor Steve Desroches
Ward 22 - Gloucester-South Nepean
Tel: 613-580-2751
Fax: 613-580-2761
Steve.Desroches@ottawa.ca
Councillor Clive Doucet
Ward 17 - Capital
Tel: 613-580-2487
Fax: 613-580-2527
Clive.Doucet@ottawa.ca
Councillor Eli El-Chantiry
Ward 5 - West Carleton-March
Tel:613-580-2475
Fax: 613-580-2515
Eli.El-Chantiry@ottawa.ca Councillor Peggy Feltmate
Ward 23 - Kanata South
Tel: 613-580-2752
Fax: 613-580-2762
Peggy.Feltmate@ottawa.ca | | | |
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