On Monday the Conservative Party announced the Children's Arts Tax Credit, which basically mirrors the Children's Fitness Tax Credit they implemented two years ago. Basically parents can claim up to $500 in expenses for arts-related activities (as yet undecided, but presumably music lessons, art lessons, etc) for their kids 16 and under.
Now, I firmly believe this would never have been announced but for the outcry after Stephen Harper's comment last week. So I think it's important to note that we've been heard, and if concerted efforts continue to be made in this area, arts funding is an issue that will stay on the table.
My feeling, however, is that this measure is too little, too late, by a party that hardly seems to have thought about the arts, other than to look greedily at where money could be reallocated. The original tax credit from two years ago, the one designated for fitness activities, should have included arts activities right from the start. This announcement is just catching up to 2006.
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