This Opinion Has Seven Days
So Plastic Man has been chuckling up his sleeve at the snobby, "cultural elite" whining about $45 million being cut from arts subsidies for the past week. Fair enough, too: as we all know, there's no one richer in Canada than artists, right?
Kind of like those Canadian Football League players are all a bunch of rich, pampered athletes.
Especially funny was his response to a gala held protesting the cuts:
"I think when ordinary working people come home, turn on the TV and see a gala of a bunch of people, you know, at a rich gala all subsidized by taxpayers claiming their subsidies aren't high enough when they know those subsidies have actually gone up - I'm not sure that's something that resonates with ordinary people."
Oddly, he refused to repeat the comment in French when a Quebec journalist invited him too. Can't imagine why, because he did say:
"Ordinary Quebecers, like ordinary Canadians, understand that."
Never mind Quebecers not being 'ordinary Canadians'; focus instead on why he didn't repeat his comment in French. Could it be that "ordinary Quebecers" feel that the arts are actually an important part of their lives? And that it is often viewed as essential for their cultual survival?
Or why Laureen Harper, the day after her husband's announcement, cancelled her plan to attend just such a gala on October 4th...
Of course, if you wait a week, you never know what will crop up:
"VAL D'OR, Que. - Stephen Harper tried to atone Monday to the tune of $150 million for describing the arts and culture crowd as government-subsidized elitists."
Of course, he did it in his own special way:
"The credit will apply on up to $500 of eligible fees for children under 16 who participate in eligible arts activities."
Much the same way $100 per month is supposed to get working parents child care, $500 is supposed to pay for children doing approved arty-type things. The details can be worked out later, apparently.
I'm guessing it has something to do with this:
You just know he's itching to stroke that bass and jam with these bad boys! In a Ministry-of-Culture-approved way, of course.
Kind of like those Canadian Football League players are all a bunch of rich, pampered athletes.
Especially funny was his response to a gala held protesting the cuts:
"I think when ordinary working people come home, turn on the TV and see a gala of a bunch of people, you know, at a rich gala all subsidized by taxpayers claiming their subsidies aren't high enough when they know those subsidies have actually gone up - I'm not sure that's something that resonates with ordinary people."
Oddly, he refused to repeat the comment in French when a Quebec journalist invited him too. Can't imagine why, because he did say:
"Ordinary Quebecers, like ordinary Canadians, understand that."
Never mind Quebecers not being 'ordinary Canadians'; focus instead on why he didn't repeat his comment in French. Could it be that "ordinary Quebecers" feel that the arts are actually an important part of their lives? And that it is often viewed as essential for their cultual survival?
Or why Laureen Harper, the day after her husband's announcement, cancelled her plan to attend just such a gala on October 4th...
Of course, if you wait a week, you never know what will crop up:
"VAL D'OR, Que. - Stephen Harper tried to atone Monday to the tune of $150 million for describing the arts and culture crowd as government-subsidized elitists."
Of course, he did it in his own special way:
"The credit will apply on up to $500 of eligible fees for children under 16 who participate in eligible arts activities."
Much the same way $100 per month is supposed to get working parents child care, $500 is supposed to pay for children doing approved arty-type things. The details can be worked out later, apparently.
I'm guessing it has something to do with this:
You just know he's itching to stroke that bass and jam with these bad boys! In a Ministry-of-Culture-approved way, of course.
Labels: Politics
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