CBC Petition to ask the Federal Government of Canada to keep its election promise

Harper government, enemy of the arts?

Harper government, enemy of the arts?

Excellent article on the Conservative party's complete absence during the election campaign whenever an arts and culture debate presented.

EXCERPT

OTTAWA — Liberal, NDP and Green Party representatives were there. Even Communist and Marijuana candidates made it to Ottawa’s Cube Gallery last week for an all-party debate on arts policy. But there was no Conservative representation — and should we be surprised?
A couple of nights later, the Canadian Conference of The Arts, the country’s leading cultural service organization, organized another such gathering in the national capital — and again, the Tories did not attend.
Meanwhile, in Montreal, more than 70 arts organizations from across the country unveiled a major election manifesto calling for a renewed commitment by all political stripes to support the arts. Arts leaders also requested meetings with party representatives to discuss the document. Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff was quick to oblige, as were NDP and Bloc Quebecois candidates. Again, there was no response from the Conservatives.
There’s a pattern here, and it runs across the country…

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Colin Miles urges audience to write to BC government

Colin Miles, regional director of the Canadian Music Centre (CMC), gave a marvelous speech at the Turning Point Ensemble concert at Ryerson United Church in Vancouver on Sunday night, giving a history of the CMC's creation in 1959 and its rapid expansion over the past two decades, which saw a 10-fold increase in the number of active composers living and working in British Columbia.

Then he informed the audience that this wonderful ensemble's funding for next year has not been renewed and asked audience members to stand if they would agree to write a letter to the BC government demanding that the funding be restored. Though the audience was clearly taken by surprise by such a "stand-up-and-be-counted" request, more than 3/4 of the audience rose to their feet.

I urge everyone reading this blog to talk to anyone and everyone you know about the theft by the provincial government of the gaming money that was specifically set aside to benefit charities and non-profits, including all sorts of social services, amateur sports, and arts and culture organisations. Read this article for a backgrounder on why we say the government has "stolen" the money.

Tourism, Culture and Arts Minister Kevin Krueger cuts off interview

Click on the title to read the article.

EXCERPT:

Charlie Smith: [In] 2010-11, $2.5 million for arts and culture in your service plan—is that acceptable from your perspective?

Kevin Krueger: That is the amount of money that we need to fund the arts and heritage, cultural branches of the ministry. You saw that this year, money was flowed to the B.C. Arts Council from the gaming portfolio. We will not stop funding the B.C. Arts Council, but we’re in very, very tough financial times.

Charlie Smith: Can you explain to me—because I look at your service plan, and I see $19 million in 2008-09, and I then I skip forward to 2010-11, and I see $2.5 million, and then I got to 2011-12, and I see $2.175 million. It looks like enormous cutbacks.

Kevin Krueger: I just answered that. I just answered it. Listen to your tape, Charlie. Every time I talk to the Georgia Straight…

Charlie Smith: You don’t talk to us.

Kevin Krueger: You know why? Because the last time, it was not a faithful article. It was a biased article. I think you’ve already written your story before you talked to me. When you asked me a question I just answered. I said that’s what I think. See you later, Charlie.