In early March 2020, just days before the country—and world—experienced its first COVID-19 lockdown, Julie Dabrusin, then the parliamentary secretary to the minister of Canadian heritage, was in a crowded conference room to introduce a panel entitled “Writing the Next Chapter: Investing in Canada’s Creative Economy.” We are here, she told the audience of publishing and business people, to celebrate “the importance of telling Canadian stories” and the importance of the economy’s cultural sector, which contributes $53 billion to the country’s GDP, more than agriculture, forestry, and fishing...…In early March 2020, just days before the country—and world—experienced its first COVID-19 lockdown, Julie Dabrusin, then the parliamentary secretary to the minister of Canadian heritage, was in a crowded conference room to introduce a panel entitled “Writing the Next Chapter: Investing in Canada’s Creative Economy.” We are here, she told the audience of publishing and business people, to celebrate “the importance of telling Canadian stories” and the importance of the economy’s cultural sector, which contributes $53 billion to the country’s GDP, more than agriculture, forestry, and fishing...WW…

Sign Inperson_outlinesearchedit_locationperson_outlinecloseedit_location This copy is for your personal non-commercial use only. To orderpresentation-ready copies of Toronto Star content for distributionto colleagues, clients or customers, or inquire aboutpermissions/licensing, please go to: Telephone calls. Shoelaces. Soap for washing their hands during this . Money to keep an essential helpline going.When Toronto author Thea Lim first came across an auction for the Toronto Prisoner’s Rights Project, where visual artists’ work was sold to raise funds for necessities such as the ones listed...…Sign Inperson_outlinesearchedit_locationperson_outlinecloseedit_location This copy is for your personal non-commercial use only. To orderpresentation-ready copies of Toronto Star content for distributionto colleagues, clients or customers, or inquire aboutpermissions/licensing, please go to: Telephone calls. Shoelaces. Soap for washing their hands during this . Money to keep an essential helpline going.When Toronto author Thea Lim first came across an auction for the Toronto Prisoner’s Rights Project, where visual artists’ work was sold to raise funds for necessities such as the ones listed...WW…