Two University of Manitoba law students, working with the Manitoba Legal Clinic for the Arts, recently submitted a letter in support of a proposal from the Canadian Arts Coalition to the Government of Canada’s House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance. The coalition’s proposal calls on the federal government to permanently allocate a minimum of 1% of total federal spending to arts, culture, and heritage, with a $330M increase for the 2025-26 fiscal year. In the proposal, UManitoba JD candidates Emily Trottier and Rachael Buchwald highlighted the role played by the arts in Canada’s identity and the need for sustained support. “We felt it was important not only to support artists through direct legal services but also to support long-term policy change,” said Trottier.
