Today, Niki Ashton outlined her vision to protect Canadian artists, Canadian culture and Canadian free speech, a vision developed after a series of meetings in recent weeks with arts workers across the country. That vision includes plans to:

-- Provide greater economic security for artists;
-- Commit to reliable, sustained arts funding and tax incentives;
-- Promote ideas like the “creative commons” ;
-- Restore the original mandate and ideals of our public broadcaster;
-- Fight censorship and defend free speech in the arts;
-- Increase public access to Canadian culture, both domestically and internationally.

This follows previous platform announcements on fighting climate change, improving post-secondary education, restoring Canada’s purpose in the world, renewing health care, ensuring equal justice and building safer communities, renewing rural communities, promoting LGBT equality and building a more inclusive economy.

Niki has wracked up countless miles criss-crossing the country. This week, she started in BC. In the coming days, she will be travelling to Medicine Hat, Swift Current, Regina, St. John’s, Toronto, Thunder Bay and Winnipeg.

Niki has run a strong campaign, put forward a compelling vision of a new kind of politics, and showed Canadians what the first of the Jack Layton generation elected to public office can do. If you would like to show your support for Niki and her campaign, please donate whatever you can afford by clicking here. Donations are tax-deductible.