Summary#

This bill amends the Parliament of Canada Act to create a Parliamentary Visual Artist Laureate as an officer of the Library of Parliament. It sets a 2‑year maximum term, a selection process led by the Speakers, a broad mandate to promote the arts, and specific powers to create works and sponsor exhibitions. It also corrects wording in the English version of the Act about the selection committee for the Parliamentary Poet Laureate.

• Creates a new officer role: Parliamentary Visual Artist Laureate within the Library of Parliament (Bill, (1)).
• Selection by the Speakers from a list of three names proposed by a committee of cultural leaders; primary official language alternates between appointees; list must reflect Canada’s diversity (Bill, (2)).
• Term up to two years; the Speakers may end the term early if acting together (Bill, (3)).
• Mandate: promote the arts in Canada through Parliament; “arts” includes drawing, painting, sculpture, printmaking, design, crafts, photography, videography, filmmaking, and digital creations (Bill, (4), (6)).
• Powers include producing art for state occasions, sponsoring art events and exhibitions, and advising the Parliamentary Librarian on cultural acquisitions (Bill, (5)(a)-(d)).
• Corrects the English reference to the Canada Council for the Arts in the Poet Laureate selection clause (Bill, final clause amending s.75.1(2)).

What it means for you#

• Households and visitors

  • Parliament will have a designated visual artist role whose job is to promote the arts through Parliament (Bill, (4)).
  • The Laureate can sponsor art events and exhibitions in connection with Parliament (Bill, (5)(b)). Access rules are not stated.

• Artists and arts organizations

  • A new national role will commission or create works for state occasions at the request of either Speaker (Bill, (5)(a)).
  • The Laureate may sponsor artistic events, including exhibitions, which could involve artists and organizations (Bill, (5)(b)). The bill does not set grant programs or application processes.
  • Candidates for Laureate are proposed by a committee chaired by the Parliamentary Librarian and including leaders from the National Gallery of Canada, the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages, the Canada Council for the Arts, and the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts, or their designates (Bill, (2)).

• Parliamentarians and parliamentary staff

  • The Speakers select the Laureate from a confidential list of three names prepared by the selection committee (Bill, (2)).
  • Either Speaker may request works for occasions of state (Bill, (5)(a)).
  • The Laureate holds office for up to two years and serves at the pleasure of both Speakers acting together (Bill, (3)).

• Library of Parliament

  • Gains an officer position dedicated to visual arts (Bill, (1)).
  • Receives advice from the Laureate on the Library’s collection and cultural acquisitions (Bill, (5)(c)).

• Poet Laureate stakeholders

  • The bill corrects the English wording for the Poet Laureate selection committee’s reference to the Canada Council for the Arts; duties of the Poet Laureate are unchanged (Bill, amended s.75.1(2)).

Expenses#

Estimated net cost: Data unavailable.

• No explicit appropriations, salaries, or budgets are stated in the bill text (Bill, (1), (5)).
• No fees or revenue changes are stated. Data unavailable.

Proponents' View#

• Elevates visual arts in Parliament by creating a dedicated Laureate with a clear mandate to foster knowledge, enjoyment, awareness, and development of the arts (Bill, (4)).
• Enables Parliament to commission and showcase Canadian art for state occasions and sponsor exhibitions, increasing public exposure to Canadian artists (Bill, (5)(a)-(b)).
• Uses an expert selection process that draws on national cultural institutions, aiming for merit and diversity in nominations (Bill, (2)).
• Ensures representation of both official languages over time by alternating the primary official language of appointees (Bill, (2)).
• Strengthens the Library of Parliament’s cultural holdings through advice from a practicing visual artist (Bill, (5)(c)).

Opponents' View#

• Creates a new officer role without defined costs or a budget cap; financial impact on the Library of Parliament is unspecified (Bill, (1), (5)). Assumes additional funding or reallocation may be needed; Data unavailable.
• The mandate to “promote the arts” is broad, with no performance measures in the bill; results may be hard to assess (Bill, (4)).
• Potential overlap with existing bodies (e.g., National Gallery of Canada, Canada Council for the Arts, Parliamentary Poet Laureate) could duplicate activities like exhibitions and public engagement (Bill, (2), (5)(b)-(c)).
• Selection and removal by the Speakers, and service “at the pleasure” of both, may raise concerns about independence or politicization of the role (Bill, (2)-(3)).
• The requirement to alternate the primary official language and to submit a list of three names reflecting diversity may limit candidate pools in some cycles, affecting flexibility in selection (Bill, (2)).