Accountability for Change

The Canadian Music Centre

Actively welcomes and prioritizes the voices of persons identifying as IBPOC, LGBTQIA2S+, disabled, and previously marginalized communities as CMC composers, connectors, authorizers, and audiences
Advances the CMC leadership role in the contemporary music community through creating and nurturing programs and initiatives that centre persons of IBPOC, LGBTQIA2S+, disabled, and marginalized communities
Continues to build an intentional organizational culture through improving the recruitment process of boards and regional councils in order to achieve gender parity and increase representation from IBPOC, LGBTQIA2S+, disabled, and marginalized communities
Engages children and youth in a pan-Canadian strategy that supports the leadership of youth from the IBPOC, LGBTQIA2S+, disabled, and marginalized communities, and develops innovative and sustainable programming to increase awareness about the wide spectrum of Canadian music, composers, and musical contexts
Empowers a welcoming generation of musical creators that represents the cultures of IBPOC, LGBTQIA2S+, disabled, and marginalized communities

The Canadian Music Centre is committed to equity, diversity, inclusion and decolonization in its governing structure and activities.

CMC Canada Board of Directors, Regional Councils and Directors, all staff and volunteers
In communications, conducting meetings and visits, liaising with artists and the public, programming, application processes, juries, recruitment processes,
To facilitate these goals, the Accountability for Change Council has been created to provide guidance

The work of the Accountability for Change Council is guided by CMC’s strategic goals.

Advance CMC leadership role in the contemporary music community
Continue to build an intentional organizational culture

Indigenous Accountability

The CMC acknowledges the harm done to Indigenous musicians and artists who have lived and created on Turtle Island since time immemorial. We acknowledge the historical exclusion of non-White/European cultures in the narrative of Canada’s musical heritage. The CMC will ensure that it remains accountable to its membership as an organization committed to decolonizing work, and it is committed to carrying out the process of decolonization.

At the CMC, we are listening to the requests of Indigenous community members who ask us to educate Associate Composers on issues surrounding protocol, consultation, and intercultural collaboration. With this intention, an Indigenous Advisory Council has been established.

Accountability for Change Council

In 2020, CMC Canada established a Diversity, Inclusion and Accessibility committee, which was later renamed by its members as the Accountability for Change Council (ACC). The ACC is a standing committee of CMC Canada’s Board of Directors. The role of the Council is to

support the “Board” to carry out its due diligence function to promote human rights, equity and social justice to ensure that the CMC is inclusive in all its affairs.
help guide the CMC to overcome systemic racism, discrimination, and oppression.
review, monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of the Accountability for Change strategies at regional and pan-Canadian levels.

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Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Decolonization Statement

The EDID statement was developed in consultation with the Accountability for Change Council, the Picanto.ca team, CMC Regional Directors and staff. CMC Canada’s Board of Directors approved the statement in June 2021. This statement guides all aspects of work at the CMC, including programs such as Picanto.ca and the youth music-learning project, application processes, selection and jury processes, and more.

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Indigenous Advisory Council

The Indigenous Advisory Council will deal with the existing appropriated music in the CMC catalogue. The Council will assess works in the collection that engage in: appropriation/theft, breaches in protocol, racist depictions of Indigenous peoples and culture, stereotypical representation, and inappropriate use of people and place names. The Indigenous Advisory Council will also undertake processes of redress and reparation that are specific to the communities affected by these appropriations and misrepresentations.

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Statement on Indigenous Sovereignty

At the CMC, we are listening to the requests of Indigenous people, musicians, and composers who are asking us to teach our composers how to be respectful of Indigenous culture and music, which includes desisting from using it in compositions created by those of settler heritage. This has been a learning journey for all of us, and we are sharing this information with you in the hopes that you will likewise tell your friends and colleagues.

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