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Tories to axe five more arts and culture programs

JAMES BRADSHAW

From Friday's Globe and Mail

Latest comment posted at 11:22 PM EST 14/08/08

Groups protest 'catastrophic' cuts ...Read the full article

This conversation is closed

  1. mike sty - from Canada writes: The Department of Canadian Heritage has decided to cut five more arts and culture programs
    ---------------
    Harper must really hate Canada.
  2. Geiseric the Lame from Canada writes: only thing left to do is book campaign advertising time on Canadian Idol.
  3. chris woodall from Tranna, Canada writes: What's that Prairie-esque howling wind sound? No-nuthin's blowing away Canada's culture...
  4. james cyr from Balmertown Ontario, Canada writes: This is indeed good news--and long overdue.
  5. J Taylor from Central Alberta, Canada writes: If a art group, theatre group etc. is good enough to tour the world, then they are good enough to be paid to do it by the countries that want them. I support the arts, the one's I like such as ballet, theatre etc. by buying tickets etc.

    Just spent $400 on tickets for my family to drive 2 hours to see a great show in Edmonton. Well worth the money. I don't spend money on tickets for shows that are not of interest to me.

    The world is very simple. If your group is good and of value to others, you don't need governement hand outs. If it is not, then you need to change to be attractive to people, not expect the govt. to pay for your group to travel.

    I support these decisions by the conservatives. I would rather choose where to spend money then have someone basing decision of tax dollars on a paper application.
  6. The Bubble from Canada writes: When an army invades, it needs to first cut the communication of the enemy and supply it's own.
  7. The Bubble from Canada writes: Soon there will be a rodeo channel.
  8. Derek Holtom from Swan River, Canada writes: I doubt any posters on here know what exactly the programs that are being cut actually did
    it all comes to this for me - is the federal government supposed to be all things to all people?
    where do they draw the line?
  9. martha stewart from Canada writes: Catastrophic. Such an overused word. So is the word 'artist.' Any artist truly dedicated to their work will pursue it come what may. The others won't. C'est la vie.
  10. J. Bergin from Canada writes: I have to make a living on my own skills and talent. If 'artists' require government handouts to make a living, then they should find a new line of work. Good on the government for making a sound decision.
  11. Tony . from Waterloo, Canada writes:
    One thing that jumps to mind here. There are 7 programs listed here with a total monetary value of maybe $30 or $40M?

    That's 7 EXTREMELY small programs by government standards, and that means government micromanagement, something that is an abysmal failure every time any government anywhere in the world tries it.

    The waste in these programs is bound to be ridiculous, I'd be surprised if arts programs received even 50% of the money being spent on them

    I really don't like the way arts funding is simply being eliminated. What we should be doing is combining these dozens of small programs into a much smaller number of larger, more general programs with less government overhead required. The more closely a government tries to micromanage programs like this, the less effective they become.

    Unfortunately none of the 4 parties represented in parliament seem to understand this in the slightest. The NDP and Liberals would both love WAY more small programs. The Bloc just wants a lot of small programs in Quebec and none anywhere else. The Conservatives aren't fixing things, they're just cutting in some places and adding MORE government waste and mismanagement in others (see Bill C-10's changes to film grants).
  12. persona non grata from Canada writes: If the arguments for cutting these grants to arts and culture are valid, they are just as valid for cuts to sports.

    And big business. Why do capitalist enterprises get government funding?
  13. mike sty - from Canada writes: Canadian Heritage Minister Josee Verner said Canadian Culture is an essential element of the IDENITY OF A NATION ..............

    So thats why the Harper CONservatives are...........

    ending its annual contributions of $300,000 to the A-V Presentation Trust

    cutting $1.5-million to the Canadian Independent Film and Video Fund

    cutting $2.5-million to the National Training Program in the Film and Video Sector,

    elimination of the $9-million Trade Routes

    cut the $4.7-million PromArt program – which provides travel grants to artists and arts organizations.

    Guess the Harper CONservatives are trying to rid Canada of its IDENITY AS A NATION

    Harper HATES Canada
  14. Tom Paine from Hamilton, Canada writes: While we lament the lack of gold at the Olympics, we ignore the fact that Canadians are, in the arts and especially opera, gold medal superstars. Clearly, whatever the governments of Canada have been doing to support the arts has paid off in a very big way. Instead of cutting grants to the arts, we should be modelling our sports' support on our arts' support and keep both programs strong. This is an unbelievably stupid, mean, short-sighted and anti-intellectual government. But what can you expect from a guy who is thinking of breaking his own law to call an election. No doubt he now realizes the election law was based on stupidity, lack of foresight and knee-jerk ideological responses. Down the road he and all Canadians will realize he and his government have shown similar stupidity on the arts.
  15. Joe V from Canada writes: Great news. There is so much bloat in the government just waiting to be eliminated.

    persona non grata: your suggestion is fantastic, if not for the reason you intended! There is indeed a lot of money that goes towards sports and failed industries (i.e. big three automakers). It doesn't benefit the vast majority of Canadians who are actually paying for it and should all be cut.
  16. David Simon from Canada writes: No more money for the A-V Preservation trust?

    Well that's the end of Canada, isn't it?
  17. martha stewart from Canada writes: mike sty writes: 'Guess the Harper CONservatives are trying to rid Canada of its IDENITY AS A NATION' -------------- OK. What/which 'IDENITY'? Please provide an example.
  18. Joseph Bloggins from Canada writes: As if artists determine the culture of a country. What ignorance. Gee, I wonder how Canada ever survived before governments decided it needed to support such socialistic nonsense.
  19. A READER from TORONTO, Canada writes: The government must be in danger of running into deficit if they are resorting to small cuts like this.

    I'll bet the numbers do not look good in the next report. That could also be why Harper is itching to go to an election NOW.
  20. Overtaxed and underlaid from Canada writes: By the tone of the article and most of the comments here, it's obvious Canadians are not at all used to seeing a government program be cut (even ones so obviously frivolous as these). God knows the Liberals never cut any - except the Military, that is.
  21. Joe Dick from Kingston, Canada writes: 'Showing support for the arts' is one thing, but 'blindly throwing money at ineffective programs' is the liberal way. ala the Gun Registry.

    Darn those 'conservatives'...how dare they be conservative.
  22. garlick toast from Canada writes: Don't worry,they have a plan.Kanadian Kulture presents MUTTART. Sad-eyed puppies,painted on velvet.
  23. Saskatchewan Seal Hunter Club from Canada writes: Its about time. Most of these so called arts and culture programs are a waste of tax payers money. Now if only Harper would cut funding for the CBC...........another waste of taxpayers hard earned bucks.
  24. Watcher 1983 from Canada writes: Government financed art and culture is strictly propaganda. These 'artists would be far better off working at an ad agency or pardon me, were they? No to Soviet art, that's not culture. Next let's sell off the CBC, it is a grotesque parody of news and entertainment. The 'Politically Correct Socialist Hour' twenty four hours per day.
  25. Bill MacKay from Englishtown, Canada writes: Elections in September? Cut the 'new conservative party ' MPs right out of a job!
  26. Edrico Alberto from Edmonton, Canada writes: Go Stephen Go!!
  27. Pamphleteer . from Canada writes: Letter writer Amelia Grant made a wonderful contribution to the letters page on August 13, 2008.

    Here it is, it speaks for itself:

    Vancouver -- I'm reminded of a quote by Winston Churchill in response to a request to cut arts funding during the Second World War: 'If we cut funding for the arts and culture, then what are we fighting for?'
  28. Wilf Kruggel from Canada writes: If the arts can't support themselves, axe them all, Wilf
  29. Lu Lu from Canada writes: The pro ignorance team is at it again.

    Burn those books, buy more guns.

    Canada is in a pathetic state right now and is the joke of the world, with the anti culture election cheaters. Shame! Dangerous time for Canada now, fascism is around the corner or here already.

    As for the culture and arts haters posting above, well what can you say? ignorance is bliss.
  30. ginny ! from Canada writes:
    Hey Wilf Kruggel (and so many others), try this on for size:

    If the auto industry can't support themselves, axe them
    If agriculture can't support themselves, axe them
    If Bombardier can't support themselves, axe them
    If R&D companies can't support themselves, axe them
    If Universities can't support themselves, axe them

    .. etc

    The Arts don't have a monopoly on subsidies. Far from it.
  31. Lu Lu from Canada writes: Wilf Kruggel from Canada writes: If the arts can't support themselves, axe them all, Wilf

    I say we should do that as soon as we cut the funding for the military. If the soldiers want their toys, they should pay for them themselves not with my tax dollars!

    Why is it more important to fund the killing of strangers across the world than to promote culture inspiration and art?

    What a BIG joke we have become.
  32. George Levecque from Fergus, Ontario, Canada writes: Its just shows everyone the small mindness of Conservatives and there Reform minded people, uneducated bumkins for sure! Time to get rid of this New government!
  33. garlick toast from Canada writes: were it not for art,Chretien wouldn't have had a weapon to repel that home invader at Sussex Drive.
  34. martha stewart from Canada writes: I'm a Canadian, therefore I represent Canadian culture. Earlier today I was a performance artist, titled 'Canadian Sunning in a Lawn Chair,' which was all about our modern angst over climate change and the meaning of life. Since this sprince I have been creating my artistic 'installation' titled 'Canadian Garden With a Horticultural Diversity of Fruits and Vegetables' which is all about our symbiosis with the earth and our modern angst over being a well fed Canadian in a hungry world. Can I get a grant for this?
  35. Hugo Lapointe from Canada writes: If cutting their subsidies is catastrophic for these so-called 'artists', then it must mean that their work is not demanded enough by the canadian public to sustain on its own, and therefore there is no reason for the canadian govt to support it. Good job Tories here.
  36. Robert Stupka from Kelowna, Canada writes: Who needs the arts, social programs, and healthcare when we have police, oil and the cons in power
  37. ginny ! from Canada writes:
    I guess you're in favor of cutting subsidies to agriculture and aerospace too, Hugo?
  38. Lu Lu from Canada writes: Joe Dick from Kingston, Canada writes: 'Showing support for the arts' is one thing, but 'blindly throwing money at ineffective programs' is the liberal way. ala the Gun Registry.

    Darn those 'conservatives'...how dare they be conservative.'

    conservatives my a****, they tanked the economy in only two years, and gave away billions to gain support which by the way, it didn't work at all and they are lower in the polls than ever before.

    So take your 'conservative' theory far away Joe Dick, not all the posters/readers here are that dumb to believe that bs.
  39. Lu Lu from Canada writes: martha stewart from Canada writes: I'm a Canadian, therefore I represent Canadian culture. Earlier today I was a performance artist, titled 'Canadian Sunning in a Lawn Chair,' which was all about our modern angst over climate change and the meaning of life. Since this sprince I have been creating my artistic 'installation' titled 'Canadian Garden With a Horticultural Diversity of Fruits and Vegetables' which is all about our symbiosis with the earth and our modern angst over being a well fed Canadian in a hungry world. Can I get a grant for this?'

    martha stewart, your daily performance we all now and witness, is to submit silly as in dumb posts to this forums. And there are some to believe you get paid for them, so there you go.
  40. Andrew E from Canada writes: The Bubble from Canada writes: Soon there will be a rodeo channel.

    yep, and I'd watch it. But if it goes off the air because the government isn't funding it, I won't cry 'censorship'.
  41. Summer of Discontent from Ottawa, Canada writes: On Thursday night, Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion attended the Toronto Music Festival's performance of Richard Strauss's Ariadne auf Naxos, explaining to those who spotted him in the lobby that he was there to show support for the arts.
    _______________________________________________________

    So, Dion had to disclaim for attending an arts performance in the GTA.

    I guess he doesn't want to go on record for actually defending anything. If we all go to McDonald's or Timmy's then apparently we are showing support for the fast food industry too!!!

    Next thing you know Dion will claim he actually has served Canada for the last year while ABSTAINING, being ABSENT or voting with the governing Conservative gov't.

    Mike Sty - yup, apparently IF you believe that the arts should support themselves AND if the Cdn public truly appreciate them then you too would cut these grants of public tax money. Then again if you love free handouts and eat at the trough of the LPC then you'd be outraged at any cutting of the arts. Pathetic.
  42. Rolloff deBunk from Calgary - centre of bad road design, Canada writes: Why would Canada need art and culture when there is so much right next door in the good old US and A?
  43. Dennis sinneD from Calgary, Canada writes:

    Art welfare... does it really taste better than trailer park welfare?
  44. Karen Johnson from Edmonton, Canada writes: Does anyone else wonder why the only programs that seem to be being cut are those related to arts and culture? If these cuts were being made as a part of a broad range of cuts to programs across all ministries, that might be one thing. But they are cutting programs that are all within one ministry and really amount to mice nuts in the overall budget.

    Anyone who cares about the arts and culture in this country must contact their MP about these cuts. And anyone who cares about arts and culture in this country and actually vote for these clowns is a fool.
  45. Rolloff deBunk from Calgary - centre of bad road design, Canada writes: Voting for fools has been going around in this country and the good old US and A for a while now
  46. Michael Sharp from Victoria, Canada writes:

    Slowly, but surely, the socialist teats ran dry.

    The runts never had a chance.

    So long, suckers.
  47. ah sails from Canada writes: don't complain unless your among the 67%...Canadians sort of elected our version of the Taliban...we can live with them or kick their their Reform butts back to Alabama
  48. Orest Zarowsky from Toronto, Canada writes: Swave and Deboner. That's us, nowadays. We don't need none of that steeenkin artsy fartsy junk. It raises far too many challenging questions, especially that 'fringe' stuff.

    Besides, most of them there artists are just a bunch of pansies and queers, don't ya know. What right-thinking manly man wants to deal with that sort? Let alone actually think.

    Unthinking and unquestioning violence and brutality is good in the RRW universe. The arts challenge and discredit that. Which is why we are seeing these mean-spirited and small-minded cuts.

    Anyway, how are all those toys that go BANG! BANG! that Stevie has recently acquired to be paid for? This is just the tip of the iceberg.
  49. Voltaire's Distant Cousin from Toronto, Canada writes: When one applies economic principles to the arts, it becomes abundantly clear that the optimal route to maximize profits from the arts is to homogenize the consumers, so that they consume art from a limited number of producers. It is not economical to produce arts in Canada when instead Canadians can consume 'entertainment' from America. Really why do we need a 'Canadian arts program', when the Americans are already producing perfectly good entertainment. By developing a separate culture with separate arts programs, all we are doing is reinventing the wheel.

    Economic subsidies are causing artists to waste their valuable talents in unprofitable pursuits like dancing ballet, painting, or writing plays. Instead of wasting her life dancing, a ballerina's talent would be far more profitably used if she was a fashion model, or perhaps an office clerk. Wouldn't the talents of a great painter be more profitably used creating advertising graphics? Wouldn't a great playwright's talents be better used to write advertising copy, or scripts for an American sitcom?

    These government subsidies distort the marketplace. These 5 to 10 million dollar arts subsidies have caused incalculable economic harm. Instead of having world renowned national ballet, 10 million dollars would pay for 3% of microsoft's latest vista ad campaign. What a tragic waste.
  50. ah sails from Canada writes: I do think this is part of Harpo's strategy for an election...he may know something...Canadians may be bucking the Western world trend and looking for government corruption, religion, low taxes and burkas for our women..go Canadians vote CON
  51. martha stewart from Canada writes: Lu Lu - But don't you see? My posts are part of Canadian culture! Call it Can Lit. I'm an artist! But no, I don't get paid for them. I do it to express myself. But I would take a grant... especially for travel.
  52. Silver Standard (Used to be gold) from Canada writes: This is really one of only 2 places where I agree with Harper. Cut the costs and give the money to something more useful...just that war is not useful so I can't stand harper.
  53. Lu Lu from Canada writes: Allow me to rephrase and say what Michael Sharp from Victoria really meant:

    Slowly, but surely, fascism will control you.

    The truth never had a chance.

    So long, suckers.
  54. Lu Lu from Canada writes: martha stewart from Canada writes: Lu Lu - But don't you see? My posts are part of Canadian culture! Call it Can Lit. I'm an artist! But no, I don't get paid for them. I do it to express myself. But I would take a grant... especially for travel'

    yes they are culture martha, but really really bad. Bad culture projects don't get grants.
  55. Michael Sharp from Victoria, Canada writes:

    Man, there's all sorts of artsy fartsy crap goin' on in Victoria, all summer long, every weekend, everywhere, for a hundred years.
    Some is government funded, BC150 on the Legislative Lawns with

    60,000 in attendance was government funded.
    Provincial and federal.

    But there's other stuff, even stuff I help organize and contribute to, that are community driven.
    I'm a musician, a drummer/percussionist, blues, jazz, rock, funk, most anything but rockabilly.
    I go to, and play at, many venues, all summer long.
    All year long.

    None of what I do is government funded and it is excellent stuff and well attended. Not just for me, but for all the other players as well.
    Mostly the other guys.
    I'm a very lucky guy to play with some of these people.

    Point being, I know art and shed not a tear for the loss of government funding.
    I walk the walk.
  56. rick from river city from Canada writes: martha stewart from Canada writes: Catastrophic. Such an overused word. So is the word 'artist.' Any artist truly dedicated to their work will pursue it come what may. The others won't. C'est la vie.

    ditto
  57. garlick toast from Canada writes: Ah yes, a drummer. definition, a guy who likes to hang around musicians.
  58. C R from Canada writes: It's incredible isn't it? We 'were' swimming in billions of dollars of surplus (blown), and now the Harper government thinks to solve our economic woes by giving our 'Arts and Culture' the shaft. Billions of surplus money gone as we now swirl the drain of deficit spending. Look at where we are as a country under the 'dysfunctional' leadership of Harper. It's only been what? Two and a half years for him to take us to this point? Bravo Harper! Bravo!
  59. Michael Sharp from Victoria, Canada writes:

    garlick toast from Canada writes: Ah yes, a drummer. definition, a guy who likes to hang around musicians.
    ------------------------------------------------------------------
    Not really musicians and they make great roadies.
    Never learnt to play anything.

    You betchya.
  60. ginny ! from Canada writes:

    So much for trying to win votes in Quebec...
  61. Bill Smith from SK, Canada writes: Lu Lu... From now on they don't thank goodness. Actually I rather liked Martha's artistic endeavour and would gladly see more of it if she can get a grant...

    Also I don't think Michael mean't that at all and I'm entitled to my artistic opinion. It also allows me to say that I agree with most of these cuts that stop funding artist's crap... I mean art.
  62. martha stewart from Canada writes: Lu Lu writes: 'Bad culture projects don't get grants.' ----------- Oh yes they do. Ever hear of the 'meat dress' 'Or the famous 'sperm art' at the Banff Centre? And Groovy George has his own TV show (The Hour on CBC). In any case, who's to say what is 'good' culture or 'bad' culture? That's the problem with government grants and arts bureaucracies. How do you spell 'nepotism' or 'brown-nosing' or 'politically correct'? --------- Anyhow, right at this moment I'm doing an inspired piece of performance art called 'Canadian at a Keyboard Listening to Coyotes Howl'... its all about our the wonders of our interconnected world and its relation to dynamic ecosytems, with special reference to the fate of field mice. Seriously, it does deserve a grant. Maybe if I add some reference to climate change...?
  63. Robert Bland from Calgary, Canada writes: All this from a MINORITY government trying to win hearts and minds for an imminent election.

    Think of what they could do with a majority and no imminent election!

    Imagine selling off CBC to Fox News.
  64. Andrew E from Canada writes: Here's one in jest for Michael Sharp: what does it mean when your drummer is drooling out of both sides of his mouth?
    >
    >
    >
    >
    the stage is level.
  65. ginny ! from Canada writes:
    The 'meat dress' was provocative, promoted debate and, well, wasn't dull. A success on all fronts, I would say.
  66. W ho from Canada writes: Support Our Troops! We have to build schools for girls in Afghanistan.
  67. garlick toast from Canada writes: Michael Sharp from Victoria, I'm down with the blues.I used to see Muddy Waters with James Cotton and Otis Spann in Mtl. as a 'snapper.
  68. Typical Toronto Voter from Toronto, Canada writes: Harper shows once again he hates Ontario/Quebec because arts funding has always gone to Ontario or Quebec.
  69. john doe from toronto, Canada writes: Harper's minority government failed to demonstrate that they were providing sufficient returns for the dollars invested.

    Deficits prove this.

    Axe these wasteful and inefficient Reformers as soon as possible.
  70. The Bull from Canada writes: Imagine selling off CBC to Fox News?

    that is a great idea, actually.

    it'd be worth unloading it for $1, really.

    you get what you pay for, after all.
  71. Eric Kirkpatrick from Vancouver, B.C., Canada writes: Next comes sports. After all there's enough professional organizations and supportive billionaires to keep them going. Then perhaps post secondary education. After Law, Accounting or Economics there's not much a Conservative wishes to be. And for the majority that don't do higher education, it doesn't have big wheels, standard transmission and run on diesel fuel it's not going to hold a Conservative's interest. Your running a country, not a Wal-Mart.
  72. David Gibson from Hamilton, Canada writes: From a strictly political perspective, the move is supportable. The Tories weren't going to get any votes from the green-hair-and-nipple-ring set anyway.
  73. winston freeman from Canada writes: There is no way to verify the origin of posts here .
    Some comments appear to be from trolls - republicans from south of the border . Their propaganda words are a giveaway . 'Socialistic nonsense' , for example , 'Soviet art', and 'axe them all' = standard buzz from the south .

    ' The politically correct socialist hour ' comment about the CBC ?

    Sadly , that does sound like a contribution from a citizen .

    Over medicated , but a citizen all the same .
  74. Lu Lu from Canada writes: martha stewart from Canada writes: Lu Lu writes: 'Bad culture projects don't get grants.' ----------- Oh yes they do. Ever hear of the 'meat dress' 'Or the famous 'sperm art' at the Banff Centre? And Groovy George has his own TV show (The Hour on CBC). In any case, who's to say what is 'good' culture or 'bad' culture? That's the problem with government grants and arts bureaucracies. How do you spell 'nepotism' or 'brown-nosing' or 'politically correct'? --------- Anyhow, right at this moment I'm doing an inspired piece of performance art called 'Canadian at a Keyboard Listening to Coyotes Howl'... its all about our the wonders of our interconnected world and its relation to dynamic ecosytems, with special reference to the fate of field mice. Seriously, it does deserve a grant. Maybe if I add some reference to climate change...?'

    I knew it! you absolutely have to mention climate change in every thread/topic right martha? no wonder you get accused of posting for money..... just like your pal 'da' Sharp
  75. Lu Lu from Canada writes: W ho from Canada writes: Support Our Troops! We have to build schools for girls in Afghanistan.'

    LOL
  76. Ed Long from Canada writes: Dion is dead.

    Harper is out of bullets.

    Toss them both.

    Is there still a Rhino Party?
  77. Dwayne Allan from Canada writes: Conservative??? How much did we pay for new 20 year old tanks that act as dust collectors?

    Are we still giving Big Oil a $1.4 B annual tax break?

    Artwork to Harper is a painting of a wagon circle of tanks surrounding an oil rig.

    Unfortunately conservative have never really supported the arts or the cultures connected. They can only see things in a very narrow view.If they aren't making their own money they should fold. The Cons forget that there are spin offs that payoff very well for others due to Canada's art communities. Tourism and the hospitality industry are probably the biggest.
  78. jack sprat from Canada writes: Harper knows anyone in the arts will never vote for him so its no harm to save some bucks there while he spends more than any other government in history. No doubt these cuts are occurring cause he knows things are going to get really bad on the economic front for him. they will have a blip with the cellular auction but in late fall the poop will hit the fan. He knows it, Dion knows it. Harper knows Dion wants to wait for it so he goes against his own legislation and says its Dions fault.

    The quote by Churchill above is bang on.

    Big deficit coming people. Lower oil price, record gov't spending, many LBo's by private equity taking billions out of the tax revenues.
  79. Lu Lu from Canada writes: You should call your performance art piece martha:

    'posting for da oil money' and get Michael Sharp to help you with some intro piece running naked in circles. LOL!
  80. Robert Bland from Calgary, Canada writes: I suggest everybody read Ed Long's comment - bang on!
  81. martha stewart from Canada writes: Lu Lu - Well it does help get grants. Ask any working researcher in almost any environment related science. In fact, I'd bet one could get a grant to study the 'Effect of Climate Change on Canadian Art.' --------- And you must admit, Sharpe is a poet. --------- But, thanks for the cultural exchange. Got to get up early tomorrow so time to snooze. I was hoping Andy Warhol could make a film of me sleeeping but he's dead. Rats. No grant! Or what if a Canadian makes the film... does video count? ;-)
  82. winston freeman from Canada writes: Michael Sharp from Victoria, Canada writes: Lies .
  83. North Star from Canada writes: Harper's government has no soul.
  84. Ricky for a Centrist Canada from Canada writes:
    Cons love arts and culture.

    As long as the participants are wealthy.

    Can't have the great unwashed enriching their lives, after all.
  85. Nancy Wilson from N.Ontario, Canada writes: This is part of the reality of where taxpayers money is spent..
    A snippett from the Nat. Post...
    .Many of the recipients weren't even Canadian and had very little connection to Canada. A group called Peru 2021, for instance, received nearly $30,000 from Canadian taxpayers 'to organize a one-day conference on corporate social responsibility,' while nearly $44,000 was doled out to the Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development And Transparency to 'host a two-day conference on Pakistan's national Elections in 2007 and possible political scenarios for the region.'
    The Conservative Govt. is simply recognizing the vast amount of wasted tax payer dollars,that have been carelessly spent in the past by the Lib. Govt.
    This is not about denying arts or culture to Canadians,even though the Libs want everyone to believe that.
    The Libs are relying on the fact that many people will never delve into the real reasons why some of these taxpayer dollars are getting cut off.
    They prefer that everyone simply believe that Conservatives are against arts and culture.
  86. martha stewart from Canada writes: Lu Lu from Canada writes: You should call your performance art piece martha: 'posting for da oil money' and get Michael Sharp to help you with some intro piece running naked in circles. LOL! ---------------------------- I knew I shouldn't have checked back before snoozing! I'm so disappointed Lu Lu. That 'posting for da oil money' isn't even slightly creative. And it doesn't even make sense here. Couldn't you think of anything better than that? Oh well. The 'running naked in circles' part was good... though apparently the current government won't provide grants for that.
  87. Michael Sharp from Victoria, Canada writes:

    Andrew E from Canada writes: Here's one in jest for Michael Sharp: what does it mean when your drummer is drooling out of both sides of his mouth?
    >
    >
    >
    >
    the stage is level.
    -------------------------------------------------------

    That's funny.
    I've lived that.

    I drool less now.
    But I do make funny faces.
  88. Michael Sharp from Victoria, Canada writes:

    winston freeman from Canada writes: Michael Sharp from Victoria, Canada writes: Lies .
    ---------------------------------------------------------

    C'mon.

    I'm not lying.
    Quite passionate about it, actually.
    Like I've sad, I'm not your garden variety neocon.
    I is your dope-smokin' rock and rollin', beer-swillin' neocon.
    7 years post-secondary education.
    Letters after my name, 10 to be exact.
    Gainfully employed.

    I let this sh!t out of the bag to lend credence to my argument.

    I lay my soul bare!

    Ask me a musical question.
  89. Ricky for a Centrist Canada from Canada writes:
    Sharp:

    Who was the highest paid member of John Philip Sousa's marching band?
  90. Lu Lu from Canada writes: ok martha how about:

    matha and her Tarzan keyboard

    will work with MS intro too, don't you think?
  91. Alex Inglis from Canada writes: One of Canada's richest men was a guy called E.P. Taylor. He served the country well in WWII as one of the 'dollar a year men' who helped C.D. Howe mobilize the country's industrial capacity for the war effort. Meanwhile E.P.'s brother Fred was an artist. He too, at times, worked for about a dollar a year selling his art. He captured in oil on canvas the work going on in the factories that brother Ed was financing (not at Ed's expense). He painted a scene of a cedar swamp in Quebec that I have hanging on my wall. It is beautiful, full of depth and colour, rich beyond belief. It cost me $800. It was worth every nickel. He painted the famous portrait of Stephen Leacock that everyone knows if they read Canadian Literature. As far as I know he never received one cent of Canadian government funding. Nor one cent from his rich brother. Who's contribution to my quality of life lives on? I think it was Fred's. So if there are other Fred Taylors out there who might be able to keep on with near starvation budgets because of meagrely government grants, I would like to see that continue. We need our E.Ps -- we also need our Freds.
  92. Jesse Winger from Calgary SW, Canada writes: Michael Sharp brags: 'Letters after my name, 10 to be exact.
    Gainfully employed. I let this sh!t out of the bag to lend credence to my argument.'

    Wow, you're somethin' aren't you? I bet you're just like Harper: knows the price of everything but the value of nothing.
  93. Ricky for a Centrist Canada from Canada writes:
    You won't be able to 'Google' it, Sharp.

    But any percussionist worth his mallets will know the answer.
  94. Lu Lu from Canada writes: Michael Sharp writes:

    Gainfully employed.

    LOL!
  95. Jimmy K from Toronto, Canada writes: Good. Why don't all you whiners go start up your own arts and culture fund, and donate to artists you feel are worthy of your money? Why are you trying to make the rest of us pay for it?

    If this is so important to you, take some initiative and do it on your own, losers.
  96. West Coast Not West from Canada writes: Artists are going to need to get more creative. Buy some acreage, get that corn for fuel scam subsidy, plant corn and then write CPC positive slogans in the field with a combine. If the slogans are extra positive you might get to be a Senator.
  97. Caius Julius from Toronto, Canada writes: Rumour is, Harper wants to fund a 'world-class' Center [sic] For Paint By Numbers Pikshers.

    Municipalities across Canada (heh!) will be invited to compete to host this public-private project -- with a view to skimming one per cent of the net revenue from the centre's 'self-sustaining' gift shop.

    According to unconfirmed reports the centre-piece of The Paint By Numbers Center [sic] will be a privately owned card-and-poster concession named The Carlton-Hallmark Store of Kitsch. It will feature imported reproductions of imported reproductions.

    Locations in hick-land -- zones where the CPC is likely to do well in an election -- are believed by some observers to head the Harper government's short list. Formal announcement of this project has been delayed repeatedly because of data showing few people want to go there.

    But as for the locals, Harper's enthusiasts remain confident that their core voters neither know nor care how heritage and creativity are different from junk.
  98. Michael Sharp from Victoria, Canada writes: Ricky for a Centrist Canada from Canada writes:
    You won't be able to 'Google' it, Sharp.
    But any percussionist worth his mallets will know the answer.
    --------------------------------------------------------

    Sticks, baby.
    Sticks.

    Should I provide a link?
    Who wants to hear the 'nearly an artist', Michael Sharp?

    Not me.
  99. Ricky for a Centrist Canada from Canada writes:
    Real percussionists have mallets AND sticks.

    Know the answer?
  100. Michael Sharp from Victoria, Canada writes:

    Ricky for a Centrist Canada from Canada writes:
    Sharp:
    Who was the highest paid member of John Philip Sousa's marching band?
    --------------------------------------------------------

    I don't know.

    Next question.
  101. F/A josquin from Canada writes:

    Cretins--------what good is this life without beauty. Why bother if we have nothing to enjoy.

    What the h-- do we work for, if not to surround ourselves with things that please us, music, objects ....without these, we have no life.

    Cretins
  102. F/A josquin from Canada writes:

    Michael Sharp, you are the most annoying cretin of all.
  103. Stephen 62 from Vancouver, Canada writes: Further evidence, if any was needed, that the troglodytes of the Reform Party are calling the shots in this bizarre, misanthropic Gov't. Their attitude to the arts mirrors that of Hermann Goering, who famously said: 'When I hear the word culture, I reach for my revolver.'
  104. Michael Sharp from Victoria, Canada writes:

    Stephen 62?

    I'm only grateful that Goerring hasn't been in any of my audiences with his revolver.
  105. Michael Sharp from Victoria, Canada writes:

    Look.

    I'm a drummer.
    I am an artist.

    I am a farmer, out standing in his field.

    I could care less about gubmint funding for the arts.
    I would be offended to receive gubmint funding to play.

    No gubmint funding for me.
    Plenty of opportunity.

    Ya follow?
  106. r b from Calgary, Canada writes: Stephen 62, when I hear the word culture, I reach for my wallet.

    After years of taxpayer support, the mark of great Canadian 'art' remains that almost no one will pay to see it.

    And that is the real joke about the Canadian 'culture' industry.

    Oh yes, these programs make a world of difference to all Canadians.
  107. ... Who's Zoomin' Who? from Adanac, Canada writes: Alex Inglis's post is bang on. It is also a terribly sad comment on what a certain segment of Canadian society has come to. Again and again the extreme right demonstrate themselves to be anti-intellectual and incapable of thinking of a society that is capable of providing a quality of life that can't be directly measured on a balance sheet. Always angry and bitter that someone else somewhere is undeservedly getting a bigger slice of pie than they are. To begrudge n artitst who works his/her trade for love and subsists on an income below the poverty line is truly palpable, yet many of these characters see no problem in subsidizing the operation of 'professional' sports organizartions through the use of hundreds of millions in tax dollars on every level for facilities such as arenas, training programs etc. It is to weep at what we have become ... cruel, miserly, embittered folk. No culture = no class.
  108. Michael Sharp from Victoria, Canada writes:

    Night all.

    To dream of syncopation, 7/8s timing, and three part harmony.

    Perhaps.
  109. ginny ! from Canada writes:
    Many of you - almost all of you in fact - who are arguing against subsidies for the arts are only arguing against subsidies in general, while ignoring them in other areas.

    So, EITHER show some consistency, and dismiss subsidies for agriculture and industry too, OR show me what's so special about culture that it needs to be cut loose. I expect it's in the second half of this dilemma where people's true views are hiding.
  110. Denny Martin from Canada writes: Voltaire's Distant Cousin from Toronto, Canada writes:
    Economic subsidies are causing artists to waste their valuable talents in unprofitable pursuits like dancing ballet, painting, or writing plays. Instead of wasting her life dancing, a ballerina's talent would be far more profitably used if she was a fashion model, or perhaps an office clerk. Wouldn't the talents of a great painter be more profitably used creating advertising graphics? Wouldn't a great playwright's talents be better used to write advertising copy, or scripts for an American sitcom?

    Voltaire - these artists ARE working as fashion models, office clerks, graphic designers, etc. They work at these jobs and use the money they earn to produce art, mostly on a volunteer basis, that then creates huge economic spin offs that you and every other Canadian benefits from. Too bad most Canadians are so culturally ignorant that they do not even know that the culture industry is one of the most vibrant and efficient segments of the economy, and is largely supported by volunteer labour.

    But that would take brains to understand.
  111. Mister G. from Halifax, Canada writes: If the conservatives were to increase the budgets for those programs, sty, vern and the rest of the circus would be complaining that the cons are wasting money.

    LOL
  112. Michael Tripper from Vancouver, Canada writes: wow - so they admit they view the only valid culture as one in which they can make a profit.

    pretty stark there - primitive and ignorant beyond words.

    Clearly they are culture warriors who seek to dismantle anything they remotely disagree with regardless of the value both financial and educational to the majority of Canadians.

    Rigid ideologues who think they are entitled to tear apart the parliamentary system, destroy Canada's reputation in the rest of the world, and rip-off tax-payers wth an odious in-out creative accounting scam - bilking tax-payers and exceeding the legal limit on campaign spending - well over the limit t something that has been estimated as 1.3 million dollars.

    And they obstruct obstruct and pull stunts counting on the Asper media's silence on what exactly is going.
  113. Gerry Werthers from Vancouver, Canada writes: When government ceases to fund arts and culture, it expects the corporate sector to take over. What happens with that is corporations usually want to heavily brand an event. They also want to steer clear of anything too controversial - they're afraid their stock price will go down. That means we're stuck with a lot of pop culture and not as much innovation. (Kind of like what's happening with the CBC right now.)

    I don't mind paying taxes to fund the arts and social services. I'm also looking forward to the upcoming election. We need to cure the 'electile dysfunction!'
  114. Gotta be serious from Vancouver, Canada writes: M. Sharp:

    By being a musician, who is gainfully employed in Victoria, playin' on the street corner does not count.

    Now, where did you get some of your opportunities? No festivals? No plays? Ever wonder where those local community events came from that you played in?

    Ever wonder where those events where your playing partners got their starts?

    If no funding, then you'd be playin' with yourself with one main (short) string down very low.
  115. James Tod from Vancouver, Canada writes: The only public Arts & Culture that Harper and his Conservative cronies want the Canadian public to have access to is the 10 cent flyers we get quarterly care of House of Commons and full of Conservative propoganda.
  116. The Wight from Canada writes: Never ceases to amaze me how the 'average Canadian' can watch three hours of TV a night and still remain completely clueless as to where all those actors, musicians, directors, film-makers, designers, etc. that they watch on the toob come from. There isn't a one of them that hasn't been touched by an arts grant at one point.

    I've got three acquaintances off the top of my head that used Arts Alberta grants and parlayed them into lucrative arts careers. One went to Vancouver and then LA for acting (Nathan Fillion), one went to Vancouver with a play he scored, wrote, directed and starred in himself (Trevor Devall) and parlayed it into lucrative voice-over work for cartoons and video games. His play just got optioned for a movie, too. The third became a famous Canadian bluesman (Lester Quitzau) with a dozen albums under his belt. Oh ... that reminds me of a fourth. Another friend (Candace Tarnawsky) painted an album cover for Lester and now lives exclusively off of her art.

    No grants ... and four artists are still stocking shelves at Home Depot, serving coffee at Starbucks or playing on the street for cash during the Fringe.
  117. Gotta be serious from Vancouver, Canada writes: It is funny that the thing that we most hate about politicians is patronage.

    Ever wonder where the root of the word came from? Patron?

    It came from funding of the arts, by such ideologues as the church, the state, wealthy land owners, the gentry, royalty.

    Yet, when Harper does his own patron deals it is going to be by pushing his own ministers into the Senate, by fluffing those he likes to and by establishing his own diplomat appointments internationally.

    Hyprocrit: Do you wonder where the arts funding will be going?

    Eventually it will line the pockets of his own patrons in patronage positions.
  118. Alan F. from Vancouver, Canada writes: Once again Harper and his Western Canada Concept/ Reform/Alliance/Conservative syncophants prove their small mindedness and are setting out to distroy all that they don't agree with. Sorta like Jessie Helms in the US. Anything he did not like, he felt, should not be on TV, displayed or read by anyone. The reason they want to distroy Canadina culture is that they love everything American and see no need for a Canadian culture or artists. After all, they think Dancing with the Stars is culture!
  119. Ricky for a Centrist Canada from Canada writes:
    Keep an eye on funding geared towards groups like evangelical churches and propaganda cult outlets like Focus on the Family.
  120. Barry Spence from Canada writes:
    Ricky for a Centrist Canada from Canada writes:
    You won't be able to 'Google' it, Sharp.

    Ricky may be accusing M. Sharp of a certain lack of talent at searching for information, or the comment may reflect on his own 'Googling' ability.

    It's obviously not a statement of the impossibility of using a Google search to obtain the answer to his question. That's the task of a few seconds, and the answer (A.H.) comes up in the first hit.
  121. Paul Thompson from Canada writes: Ricky for a Centrist Canada, I'm guessing the highest paid member of Sousa's marching band was the cello player. Sharp, in the commercial of life you are Brand X.
  122. G S from Canada writes: Arts and cultural industries contribute $40 billion to the economy, 7% of GDP.

    The cons axing arts funding is not going to save money it's going to cost jobs.
  123. Compos Mentis from Toronto, Canada writes: The incessent whigning of 'artists', already begun, reminded me of a conversation I overheard at an art show, recently. The artist was particulary piqued that 'no one' was buying his modernist (unframed) paintings. He complained that he'd been at this particular show for three full days, (this was a Sunday) and that he'd failed to sell even one of his paintings. He referred to the local inhabitants as 'savages' who just didn't appreciate the true value of his art work and he lamented the fact that he had toiled over so many of the pieces he had chosen for this particular display. On closer inspection I noted that the least expensive piece for sale was priced at over $1,000.00 and I remarked to my wife, who apparently is a savage as well as she didn't appreciate the art, that perhaps the 'artist' failed to truly grasp the meaning of commerce, that is, people will spend an appropriate amount of money on items they wish or need to purchase. The fact that not one person chose to purchase a painting from this artist, in my mind, spoke volumes about the 'value' one places in art and in this instance the customer wasn't buying what he was selling. It should have been a good lesson to him about the retail side of his business, but of course that was complete lost on him. He is after all an 'artist' don't you know!
  124. Bert Russell Paradox, BC from Canada writes:
    Jack Sprat who ate lots of Liberal fat .... like all current Liberals wishes Canada's economy would tank for their sake.
  125. Compos Mentis from Toronto, Canada writes: The Wight from Canada writes: Never ceases to amaze me how the 'average Canadian' can watch three hours of TV a night and still remain completely clueless as to where all those actors, musicians, directors, film-makers, designers, etc. that they watch on the toob come from. There isn't a one of them that hasn't been touched by an arts grant at one point.

    No grants ... and four artists are still stocking shelves at Home Depot, serving coffee at Starbucks or playing on the street for cash during the Fringe.

    --------------------------------

    You mean like they might have to work like us 'average Canadians'.

    Therein lies a big part of the problem, we're just a bunch of slobs who have to go to work each day, but gosh darn it sure is nice to cash those grant cheques provided with our taxes! Such elitism is at the core of what's wrong with this country, too many 'artists' look down their noses at us average people, as if we're not good enough because we can't appreciate how gosh darn hard you artist types have to work to make a living. Give me a break! Oh and by the way you can make mine a grande bold and hold the foam!
  126. Ricky for a Centrist Canada from Canada writes:
    'we're just a bunch of slobs who have to go to work each day, but gosh darn it sure is nice to cash those grant cheques provided with our taxes!'

    How little you know about artists, musicians, etc. They all have to 'work for a living' to make ends meet, even with the often meagre grants they do manage to get.

    'too many 'artists' look down their noses at us average people, as if we're not good enough because we can't appreciate how gosh darn h