Canadian literary, arts, and scholarly magazines publishing in either English and French are in danger of losing a key federal funding source.

On February 17, 2009, Canadian Heritage Minister James Moore announced in a speech he made in Montreal (http://www.pch.gc.ca/pc-ch/minstr/moore/disc-spch/20090217-eng.cfm) that the Canada Magazine Fund and Publishing Assistance Program will be merged to create the Canada Periodical Fund. Initiatives from this new body will come on stream in 2010/2011.

Departing from his prepared remarks, James Moore indicated that eligiblity for funding could potentially be restricted to those magazines with an annual circulation above 5000. With notable exceptions, the circulation of virtually every Canadian literary, arts, and scholarly magazine, large and small, is below 5000.

We have to make sure this possibility does not become an actuality, for if it does, as April 1, 2010, these important and praiseworthy magazines will no longer qualify for funding that they have been receiving for years from the CMF and PAP despite the excellent work that they undertake for the readers, writers, and researchers across Canada (and around the world)!

The Coalition to Keep Canadian Heritage Support for Literary and Arts Magazine feels strongly that to render these magazines ineligible for this support would be unjust. To quote Andris Taskans, editor of Prairie Fire, to do so would be "a slap in the face"---not only to the magazines themselves but to the many writers and researchers that they publish, many of whom began illustrious, international careers in these seminal if modest publcations. To do so would also be a "slap in the face" to the ordinary (and extraordinary) Canadians who read them.

By joining the Coalition, readers, writers, and researchers everywhere send a strong message to the Honorable James Moore, the Department of Canadian Heritage, and the Canada Periodical Fund that we believe in our literary, arts, and scholarly magazines and feel that they should continue to do so by supporting them through well-deserved and sustained financial support.

To do so, would be the cheapest economic stimulus package the Government of Canada could initiate. Every single dollar granted to us or paid to us by a subscriber or a newsstand buyer goes back into the economy.

Put it this way, when Canadians get into their Chrysler and GM cars, they have to drive somewhere. A lot of them drive to their newsstands and bookstores to buy a literary, arts, and scholarly magazine.

Say yes to continued Canadian Heritage funding through the Canada Periodical Fund for Canada's arts, literary, and scholarly magazines!

Say yes to the writers, researchers, and readers of Canada!

Download our petition and collect signatures:

http://arcpoetry.ca/petition/Magazine_Petition.pdf

http://arcpoetry.ca/petition/Magazine_Petition_Francais.pdf

For more details about these potential funding cuts, read coverage that appeared on the Quill & Quire website on February 20 and 24, 2009 (scroll through the news section to read both stories):

(http://www.quillandquire.com/omni/article.cfm?article_id=10538).

Here are some useful links:

Magazines that received Canada Magazine Fund assistance through Support for Arts and Literary Magazines (SLAM): http://www.pch.gc.ca/pgm/fcm-cmf/0809_recpnts-eng.cfm

Magazines that received Publications Assistance Program support: http://www.pch.gc.ca/pgm/pap/publctn/report-rapport/ann-rep2008/index-eng.cfm

Literary magazines that belong to Magazines Canada: http://magazinescanada.ca/consumer/listing.php?id=11

Arts magazines that belong to Magazines Canada: http://magazinescanada.ca/consumer/listing.php?id=2

Information about the Canadian Association of Learned Journals can be found: at http://www.calj-acrs.ca/main_e.php?m=home

Members of Parlaiment: http://webinfo.parl.gc.ca/MembersOfParliament/MainMPsAddressList.aspx?TimePeriod=Current&Language=E

Here are some important MPs to write besides the one for your constituency:

Minister of Canadian Heritage: Hon. James Moore

House of Commons
Ottawa, ON K1A 0A6
T: 613-992-9650
F: 613-992-9868
E: moorej@parl.gc.ca

Constituency Office
2603 St. John’s St.
Port Moody, BC V3H 2B5
T: 604-937-5650
F: 604-937-5601

Liberal Heritage Critic: Pablo Rodriguez

House of Commons
Ottawa, ON K1A 0A6
T: 613-995-5080
F: 613-992-1710
E: rodripa@parl.gc.ca

Constituency Office
7450, Les Galeries d’Anjou Blvd, Suite 530
Anjou, QC, H1M 3M3
T: 514-353-5044
F: 514-353-3050

NDP Heritage Critic: Charlie Angus

House of Commons
Ottawa, ON K1A 0A6
T: 613-992-2919
F: 613-995-0477
E: angus.c@parl.gc.ca

Constituency Office
20 Duncan Avenue S.
PO Box 276
Kirland, ON P2N 3H7
T: 705-567-2747
F: 705-567-5232

Bloc québecois Heritage Critic: Carole Lavallée

House of Commons
Ottawa, ON K1A 0A6
T: 613-996-2416
F: 613-995-6973
E: lavalC@parl.gc.ca

Constituency Office
110-5540 Chambly
Saint-Hubert, QC J3Y 3P1
T: 450-926-5979
F: 450-926-5985

Liberal Leader: Michael Ignatieff

House of Commons
Ottawa, ON K1A 0A6
T: 613-995-6364
F: 613-992-5880
E: ignatm@parl.gc.ca

Constituency Office
656 The Queensway
Etobicoke, ON M8Y 1K7
T: 416-251-5510
F: 416-251-2845

NDP Leader: Jack Layton

House of Commons
Ottawa, ON K1A 0A6
T: 613-995-7224
F: 613-995-4565
E: laytoj@parl.gc.ca

Constituency Office
221 Broadway Avenue, Suite 100
Toronto, ON M4M 2G3
T: 416-405-8914
F: 416-405-8918

Bloc Québecois Leader: Gilles Duceppe

House of Commons
Ottawa, ON K1A 0A6
T: 613-992-6779
F: 613-954-2121
E: duceppe.g@parl.gc.ca

Constituency Office
1200 Papineau Ave, Suite 350
Montreal, QC H2K 4R5
T: 514-522-1339
F: 514-522-9899

Conservative Leader: Rt. Hon. Stephen Harper

House of Commons
Ottawa, ON K1A 0A6
T: 613-992-4211
F: 613-941-6900
E: harpes@parl.gc.ca

Constituency Office
1600-90th Avenue SW, Suite A-203
T: 403-253-7990
F: 403-253-8203

Remember to write MPs c/o both the House of Commons and their constituency offices. That way their entire staff will know about your concerns. (read less)

Canadian literary, arts, and scholarly magazines publishing in either English and French are in danger of losing a key federal funding source.

On February 17, 2009, Canadian Heritage Minister James Moore announced in a speech he made in Montreal (http://www.pch.gc.ca/pc-ch/minstr/moore/disc-spch/20090217-eng.cfm) that the Canada Magazine Fund and Publishing Assistance Program will be merged to create the Canada Periodical Fund. Initiatives from this new body will come on stream in 2010/2011.... (read more)