The Harper government's recent $50-million cuts to Canada's Arts and Culture sector should raise five-alarm bells.
The Minister of Canadian Heritage calls the cuts “efficiencies”. But, the Foreign Affairs Department made it clear that it’s canceling of the International Arts programs, was justifiable because it funded “leftie” authors and rock bands with provocative names.
Once again, the Harper Government has decided to use public policy as a censorship tool; a vehicle for imposing its own narrow ideology on Canadian society.
Last week, the target was physician-patient care, this time the target is Arts and Culture.
None of this should come as a surprise. The Reform Party, of which Harper was a member, always viewed Arts and Culture as an inconsequential frill. I recall, during my days as a Minister within the Department of Canadian Heritage, listening to their assertions that if Art was any good it would sell itself, without any help from the government.
Stephen Harper has the power, and is finally implementing another long-held ideology.
This dismantling of Canadian culture, which has always struggled to breathe under the smothering weight of the world's largest entertainment industry next door, is reason for concern.
As a sovereign nation, Arts and Culture defines our identity. It strengthens social cohesion in a geographically and demographically diverse country. The International Arts programs levered trade in Canadian cultural products and acted as a diplomatic
vehicle to introduce Canadian values to the world. This is why last summer, Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion pledged to expand the International Arts Program to $22 million.
Arts and Culture, according to Statistics Canada, is the fourth largest industry in Canada; directly contributing $43.7 billion annually to the GDP, employing over 800,000 people and levering over $2.7 billion in trade. A recent Conference Board of Canada study places these figures much higher.
In today's global economy, creativity, innovation and information is a nation's most important asset. Combined with development of human capital (the brightest and most skilled workforce) they are the only way that a small country like Canada can compete and excel.
A forward-looking government should see investment in Arts and Culture as pivotal to Canada's future; economically, socially and as a vehicle for promoting Canada's diplomatic influence globally.
As always, ideology is the only resort of narrow minds....it is the dead weight that drowns progress.
These latest developments should give us all one more reason to probe the hidden agenda of the Harper government and to be gravely concerned about Canada's future.
- Hedy
--------------------------
Sent from my BlackBerry Wireless Handheld
Vancouver, September 1st, 2008
