Click here for the New Democratic Party’s responses to the party survey.
Calgary-Acadia – Nick Lepora
Calgary-Bow - Jason Nishiyama
Calgary-Buffalo - Rebecca Eras
Calgary-Cross – Reinaldo Conterras
Calgary-Currie - Robert Scobel
Calgary-East - Robyn Luff
Calgary-Elbow – Craig Coolahan
Calgary-Fish Creek – Eric Leavitt
Calgary-Foothills – Jenn Carkner
Calgary-Fort – Don Monroe
Calgary-Glenmore – Rick Collier
Calgary-Greenway – Al Brown
Calgary-Hawkwood – Collin Anderson
Calgary-Hays – Regina Vergara
Calgary-Klein – Marc Power
Calgary-Lougheed – Brent Kelly
Calgary-Mackay-Nose Hill – Anne Wilson
Calgary-McCall – Collette Singh
Calgary-Mountain View – Christopher McMillan
Calgary-Northern Hills – Stephanie Woodlund
Calgary-North West – Brian Malkinson
Calgary-Shaw – Ashley Fairall
Calgary-South East – Marta Warszynski
Calgary-Varsity – Jackie Seidel
Calgary-West – Mary Nokleby
Calgary-Elbow – Craig Coolahan
Calgary-Fish Creek – Eric Leavitt
1. What has been your favourite experience with the arts in your constituency (or in Calgary)?
It is hard to pick out one experience as my favorite as I have enjoyed a variety of art related experiences. I guess it would be the opportunity to attend musical events such as the performances of the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra. They are such a talented group of musicians and have offered such great music over the past several seasons. I should also mention the Calgary Opera, their performance of Moby Dick was especially memorable.
2. What do you value most about the arts?
I value the opportunity to listen to performances of music, plays and to be moved by the experience. The arts add so much emotional depth to my life. Calgary is enriched by the artists in our midst.
3. What do you think is the greatest need regarding the arts in your constituency? How do you plan to address this need?
I believe that the arts need continued funding support for individual artists, performances and venues. One particular area that I would plan on specifically addressing is increased funding of art related programs in our schools. I believe that student achievement can be positively improved if they have access to art (music, visual arts, etc.). This is especially important for those students whose parents may not have the money available to provide lessons privately.
Calgary-Fort – Don Monroe
1. What has been your favourite experience with the arts in your constituency (or in Calgary)?
Myself and my wife enjoy many aspects of the Arts weather it’s the Alberta Ballet or Theater Calgary or checking out the local gallery’s on ninth ave it ‘s a past time we both cherish.
2. What do you value most about the arts?
The wide selection and various style’s the city has to offer.
3. What do you think is the greatest need regarding the arts in your constituency? How do you plan to address this need?
Too many of our artist are living below the poverty line. With the injection of moneys to support local and all Alberta artists so they would not have to move to other city’s.
Calgary-Glenmore – Rick Collier
1. What has been your favourite experience with the arts in your constituency (or in Calgary)?
The Calgary Symphony Orchestra; Word Fest; the painted cows scattered throughout downtown Calgary several years ago.
2. What do you value most about the arts?
That they prize creativity, expression, and innovative thinking, all of which can be seen as antidotes to conservative assumptions and to the neo-liberal model for social and economic relations.
3. What do you think is the greatest need regarding the arts in your constituency? How do you plan to address this need?
Calgary-Glenmore is a constituency composed primarily of older, often retired Calgarians, along with a considerable number of young urban professionals; both of these groups too often ignore or feel they do not have time for the arts. I would hope to design ways to entice the residents in my constituency into a fuller appreciation of the arts, a greater participation in artistic matters (both as artists themselves and as viewers/listeners), and to more generously support the arts in Calgary.
Calgary-Hawkwood – Collin Anderson
1. What has been your favourite experience with the arts in your constituency (or in Calgary)?
Calgary has a very vibrant arts scene encompassing all types of art. My wife, Patti, and I have been fortunate to be able to experience excellent live theatre from small and intimate to large and elaborate productions at the EPCOR CENTRE for the Performing Arts, and live “location theatre” such as Tony & Tina’s Wedding. Calgary’s live theatre community is alive, well and well worth a look.
2. What do you value most about the arts?
The arts are the window to the soul of a society. Art entertains us, teaches us and challenges us to look at ourselves and society around us and to do better.
3. What do you think is the greatest need regarding the arts in your constituency? How do you plan to address this need?
It is sad that when budgets are written and belts are tightened, it too often the arts that are the first to have funding cut. This is particularly true when the government in power is ideologically opposed to public funding for the arts. I believe for a society to be mature, intelligent and articulate it must have a flourishing, active and well supported arts community. This starts with nurturing arts of all types in our children. We would increase fine arts curriculums in our elementary and secondary schools. New Democrats would create a separate Ministry of Arts and Culture to coordinate arts funding and programs, and offer stable funding to arts groups, as well as introduce $30 million in new funding for the Alberta Foundation for the Arts. In addition we would improve the living and working conditions of artists by helping artists to establish thriving markets for their art, gain easy access to information about building their careers, and support collective bargaining in those sectors where the artists want it, and expand and coordinate Alberta’s network of museums, historical sites, galleries and libraries. The library in our community is a hub of learning and I strongly support the library now and into the future. We would also allocate 1% of all large capital projects for the commission of arts projects.
Calgary-Klein – Marc Power
1. What has been your favourite experience with the arts in your constituency (or in Calgary)?
I was lucky enough to attend the 2011 Alberta book awards and I really enjoyed being able to support our writers. But recently I helped organize an event honouring the life of Jack Layton that featured a number of local musicians and Olivia Chow which was very inspiring.
2. What do you value most about the arts?
I believe the arts play such an important aspect in shaping a balanced society. The arts provide an opportunity for people to express themselves in so many ways challenging the status quo.
3. What do you think is the greatest need regarding the arts in your constituency? How do you plan to address this need?
One of the greatest needs is a government and elected officials who have respect for artists and who value their contributions to society. Whether its reversing the cuts of the current government and beginning to invest in arts or providing space for artists to be artists to expanding the role of arts in the education system what we need is elected officials who value the arts.
4. Any other comments?
Communities are stronger, safer, and more livable when the arts have a significant and visible place. The arts provide a substantial economic value to communities, directly and indirectly. A robust environment to support the arts arises from fine arts and culture having a healthy place in the education system. An investment of public money in fostering the arts will have economic and social benefits that will be greater over time. The example of a strong government enthusiasm for the arts in the life of the province will also have an inspirational affect on other sectors such as private business.
The NDP recognizes that large government cuts have hurt the arts in Alberta. We recognize funding for the arts is an investment which benefits Alberta in many ways.
The NDP would
- Raise Foundation for the Arts funding to $90 million in four years
- Support public art by investing 1% of capital project funds in art
- Create an endowment for social sciences, arts, and humanities research
- Ensure support for film and television production
- Fund public libraries to ensure they can fill a significant role in community life
- Enact Status of the Artist legislation
- Develop a program to enhance and expand working spaces and studios for artists
- Create opportunities for the Alberta Foundation for the Arts collections to be shown in public spaces
Calgary-MacKay-Nose Hill – Anne Miller
1. What has been your favourite experience with the arts in your constituency (or in Calgary)?
My husband and I saw a play called Utopia by Tom Stoppard in Calgary once. We tell each other it was so good, we don’t need to see any more plays! A friend of mine who knew one of the leads told me to make sure we saw it. My husband likes hockey! but he had a fabulous time. That was a while ago, but ever since, we have expected good theatre in Calgary.
2. What do you value most about the arts?
The arts take human experience and make it meaningful.
3. What do you think is the greatest need regarding the arts in your constituency? How do you plan to address this need?
Make art a requirement from Kindergarten through Grade 12, with the necessary support for teachers, equipment, and supplies.
Calgary-Mountain View – Christopher McMillan
albertandp.ca/christophermcmillan
1. What has been your favourite experience with the arts in your constituency (or in Calgary)?
My favorite experiences have always been with Art that surprises me, usually somewhere unexpected or delivered in a unique way, the more creative the better. From Cows climbing buildings to the almost magical appearance of the “Heart of the Beast”, Art in unexpected places always brightens my day.
2. What do you value most about the arts?
Accessibility. The ability for people to witness, experience and participate in the arts. When everyone has the ability to experience the life enrichment that the Arts provides it gives more people the opportunity to join the in the process, and the more people we have involved the arts the better.
3. What do you think is the greatest need regarding the arts in your constituency? How do you plan to address this need?
Apart from simply having more of the Arts in Alberta, we need to address the degradation of the Arts programs in our schools. A problem which has left many Alberta students out in the cold when it comes to having the opportunity to thrive in the Arts.
In short we need to increase funding to our education system with the goal of hiring Fine Arts teachers who can engage students in a positive way.
Without those positive first steps that in-school Arts programs can provide to those who would otherwise not have contact with the arts we lose so many creative minds that likely have an amazing assortment of artistic talents.
If we don’t get people interested and excited about the arts at an early age our ability to get people interested later in life diminishes significantly.
4. Any other comments?
Although the Provincial government has the money it is ultimately Communities Municipalities are the ones who have a greater understanding of the demands of art in their jurisdiction. We need to empower the City to take on more public art projects, provide more theatres, art studios, music halls and more. Without the funding that the province has Cities are going to continue to be unable to provide the kind of infrastructure necessary for the arts to thrive in our communities.
Calgary-North West – Brian Malkinson
1. What has been your favourite experience with the arts in your constituency (or in Calgary)?
Sled Island
2. What do you value most about the arts?
It’s ability to bring people together to start conversations as share differing ideas.
3. What do you think is the greatest need regarding the arts in your constituency? How do you plan to address this need?
Insuring that the currently unnamed community / Rec center to be located on Royal Oak Way Field is funded and built in a timely manner.
Calgary-Varsity – Jackie Seidel
www.facebook.com/JackieSeidelNDP
1. What has been your favourite experience with the arts in your constituency (or in Calgary)?
The arts are all around us all the time. My favourite experience is a simple one and also one that many people might not think of as an ‘arts’ experience… going down the road from my house to the Nosehill Public Library. The library is a common public space where all kinds of people gather, young and old from many diverse cultures and economic backgrounds to participate in the wonderful experience of reading! The library also has a huge collection of films and music. It is a place where we have access, no matter who we are, to so much of the creativity of humanity, past and present. I’ve been a teacher (and now professor) for 21 years. My curriculum specialization is the “Language Arts”. The word “Arts” in this discipline is very important to me because it points us towards democratic and aesthetic participation for all citizens, in this case students in schools, in a multiplicity of ‘arts’ experiences.
2. What do you value most about the arts?
The arts teach us about ourselves and what it means to be human. They challenge us to rethink our ideas and to create new ones. They celebrate human creativity. They tell us who we have been and give us a glimpse of who we might become, for good or for ill. We are currently facing so many overwhelming challenges as a species. There are over 7 billion people on the planet and we are facing ecological emergencies of unprecedented proportions. How will we live together into the future? The arts can help us answer this question. I have my doubts that science can solve all these challenges and I believe that the voices of the arts, and all our creativity and imagination, are more necessary now than ever to guide us on this difficult path. Without the arts, I think we would be lost. With them, there is some hope.
3. What do you think is the greatest need regarding the arts in your constituency? How do you plan to address this need?
Although Calgary Varsity includes the University of Calgary campus where many diverse arts events take place almost daily, I think that there aren’t enough opportunities for Calgary Varsity citizens to participate in the arts as a community. I also know with certainty that many arts events in Calgary are too expensive, and therefore inaccessible, for many hard working people. The New Democratic Party has a strong arts platform and vision, and we understand how much the arts matter in the creation of a peaceful, socially just and democratic society. NDP policies include increasing funding for the Foundation for the Arts to $90 million in four years, creating endowments for arts, social sciences and humanities research, supporting film and television production, better funding for public libraries, and supporting and funding the fine arts curriculum in all schools K – 12. I imagine a fabulous arts festival for Calgary Varsity to bring the community together, so that people can meet their neighbours. As MLA, I’d welcome suggestions for what this could look like!
Calgary-West – Mary Nokleby
1. What has been your favourite experience with the arts in your constituency (or in Calgary)?
Live Theatre: my husband and I had season’s tickets to ATP this year, plus Theatre Calgary tickets to “Enron” and University of Calgary tickets. Seeing “The Trojan Women” live at the University and realizing how long the horror of war has devastated human lives;hearing the voices of women lamenting the loss of children, keeps me clear about why I continue to engage in politics. Political theatre, such as Enron, engages both of us, but the psychological intensity of plays like “Drama” or “Ash Rizen” moves us as well. As my 7 year old grandson said when we went to “Beauty and the Beast” a few years ago: “plays are better than movies!”
Taking that grandson to hear Lizst’s late piano pieces at the Rosa Centre this year was also a moving experience. He recently started piano lessons after working to teach himself music off the internet…and sharing that with him is something I couldn’t imagine our relationship doing without.
2. What do you value most about the arts?
What I value most is how they engage me, intellectually, emotionally and spiritually. “Beauty is truth, truth beauty, that is all ye know on earth, and all ye need to know.” Keats said that I think, and there is a great wisdom in it. When I experience empathy, wonder, emotional immediacy, I feel more alive. I know more, why life is worth living. I want that for my children, and for my fellow citizens.
3. What do you think is the greatest need regarding the arts in your constituency? How do you plan to address this need?
I think we need more art education in our school system. Penny pinching that limits the arts ends up by pinching the empathic intelligence of our youth. Without creativity, and the pleasure that comes from artistic expression and understanding, our lives become less full. We also need to make participation in the arts more affordable, for all our citizens. Children’s theatre, art camps, an emphasis on dance and theatre equal to our emphasis on competitive sports, would make our communities and province a much more vibrant, interesting place to live.
4. Any other comments?
Our artists need to be recognized as citizens and tax payers. They need to be able to make a decent living doing what they do. Art isn’t a frill….its an essential of a cultured society.
