Cultural development of Aboriginal nations
Several programs and measures are offered by the Ministere de la Culture et des Communications (MCC), the Conseil des arts et des lettres du Quebec (CALQ) and the Secretariat aux affaires autochtones (SAA), in collaboration with the Societe du Plan Nord, to foster the cultural development of Aboriginal nations, protect and showcase their cultural heritage, promote their artists and disseminate their work.
The MCC has entered into several agreements with Aboriginal nations (available online in French only) to carry out innovative and structuring actions in partnership with Aboriginal authorities to benefit Aboriginal citizens and meet the specific needs of each nation. The MCC supports the operations (available online in French only) of local Aboriginal radio, cultural organizations and recognized museum institutions. lt also offers a Project Assistance Program with a call for Algonquin cultural projects. The CALQ supports organizations through regional partnership agreements. In 2014-2015, it entered into a new agreement to improve artists' and writers' practices in the Nord-du-Quebec region. lt includes several components, such as support for professional writers and artists as well as residency exchanges between Montreal and the Kativik area in northern Quebec. The CALQ also supports artistic creation, experimentation and production among Aboriginal nations through grants and awards, and in this way helps promote Quebec in the rest of Canada and abroad. The purpose of the SAA's Aboriginal Initiatives Fund II (AIF II) is to support projects that could have effects on the socioeconomic development of the various Aboriginal areas in Quebec, whether inside or outside the communities themselves. The FIA II is a five-year program created in 2012 and set to end in 2017. lt was developed in parallel to other Quebec and federal government aide mechanisms based on the needs and priorities of each nation or community. Since 2011, the Government of Quebec has been working on implementing the Plan Nord to highlight the potential for mining, energy, social development and tourism in northern Quebec, specifically north of the 49th parallel. One of the components of this project is to support cultural development and ensure that northern cultural heritage is showcased.
The goal of these programs is also to meet the specific needs and challenges of Aboriginal nations and foster their cultural development. For example: On March 31, 2016, the MCC was a party to eight agreements with an Aboriginal nation. In 2014-2015, the MCC supported 14 Aboriginal radio stations, three communication corporations, the Musee amerindien de Mashteuiatsh, the Musee des Abenakis and the Wapikoni Mobile and LAND lnSIGHTS organizations for the Montreal First Peoples Festival. In 2014-2015, as part of the program supporting professional Aboriginal writers and artists and through its partnership with Montreal, the CALQ has provided awards to three Aboriginal artists from the Mohawk and Cree nations who work in visual arts, dance and theatre. As part of the program for arts and literature in the Kativik area of northern Quebec, the CALQ has provided awards to 20 lnuit artists. Lastly, as part of its award program for professional writers and artists, the CALQ has provided seven travel awards to Aboriginal writers. Since 2012, the AIF II has provided support to several projects that indude a cultural component in order to enhance available Aboriginal cultural goods and services.
AIF II: $CAD 135M over 5 years. CALQ (2014-2015) Support programs related to regional partnership agreements: $CAD 86.5K Grants: $CAD 195.2K Artist awards: $CAD 67.3K MCC (2014-2015) Agreement with Aboriginal nations: $CAD 898.2K Operations assistance: $CAD 690.9K Projects assistance- call for Algonquin cultural projects: $CAD 90K