By not even keeping Canada’s cultural granting program budget at the present level, but rather sigificantly slashing cultural budgets and eliminating some of the programs, Harper has again shown his unilateral method of governing and his contempt for artists. His contemptuous actions are best described by an “Open Letter to Prime Minister Stephen Harper” by Wajdi Mouawad, a writer; Governor General Award-winning Canadian Playwright; Knight of the Ordre National des Arts et des Lettres, France; and Artistic Director of French Theatre, The National Arts Centre of Canada, Ottawa. You can read this *very* informative letter at http://vancouver.en.craigslist.ca/ats/838200584.html.
I am a visual artist . . . a painter. I have never applied for nor have I ever been a recipient of funds from any government cultural programs. However, I do understand the great contribution of our Canadian Artists towards helping to establish a Canadian cultural identity, both at home and abroad. Government cultural programs have always been of significant help to our most deserving artists to establish this Canadian identity. I can’t understand his motive for these cuts. Like his false reasons for not attending the opening ceremonies of the Olympics, his actions towards Canadian artists has reasons other than that which he purposed . . . that of being a mere matter of budgeting. It is, I believe, more likely a matter of contempt for artists.
Harper has seriously under estimated the value of artists to Canada’s identity and he has, to his peril, under estimated the power of artists. Power to effectively use their writing, painting, acting, sculpting, singing and other artistic skills. Canadians much prefer their cultural identity to that of multi-national corporations with a short term view to make as much money as possible in the shortest time frame. Stephen Harper should give his head a shake and reconsider the impact of his unilateral decision to cut government cultural programs.
