Wednesday, October 01, 2008

I'm going there

I try very hard to keep my blog pleasant. The internet is a very large place. I want everyone to be able to read my blog and enjoy it without worrying about issues that may be reactive or personal. I value my family's right to privacy so I respect that as I would hope they would do the same for me. I'm uncomfortable reading other blogs when they are presented as diaries or journals of deeply personal beliefs or problems. I don't think my blog should be controversial.

Today it is going to become controversial because I can't let politics lay quietly on this one.

We are in the midst of federal election campaigning here in Canada. Unlike the U.S. election, Canada's campaign is short, just a few weeks. We head to the polls on Oct. 14.

(aside: When the Conservative Party was elected, they announced that they would implement a fixed election date every four years. Within a year they changed their minds and called an election. Huh?)

Prime Minister Stephen Harper recently announced massive funding cuts to the arts. 45 million dollars massive that is. He has stated that "ordinary people" don't care about arts funding. He also implied that artists are wealthy people who attend galas and whine about grants.

Please.

Could the Prime Minister of this country show his ignorance about Canadians more clearly?

I've been mulling over just what to write about all of this for the last few days. Turns out, some true "artists" have responded more eloquently than I could so I will turn it over to them with thanks.

First, our beloved Yarn Harlot.
http://www.yarnharlot.ca/blog/archives/2008/09/28/dear_mr_harper.html

And Margaret Atwood, one of Canada's most famous writers.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080924.wcoarts25/EmailBNStory/politics/home


2 comments:

My Qi and Me said...

Dear Dog-Lover,

"I'm going there" is an excellent posting. I believe it is very important for women to blog their thoughts about issues. Especially it is important for Canadian women to do so because we are by nature gracious and reticient to be critical (out loud).
And Stephen Harper's nasty bias about the arts is unfair and completely uncalled for -- Edmonton's arts community used to do a once a year "black out" where all sorts of visual arts were covered in situ for a day. No performing arts took place and there was no music. What a bleak, bleak day that always was...
Good on you for 'going there!'
Next -- my big concern -- am I blogging things that make you uncomfortable??
Please tell.

Granny Nanny

Anonymous said...

Good on you, Susan for "going there". I am a tad disappointed that you chose not to write your own synopsis of the issue, though. I have always found your blog to be well written and insightful. I had already read the Yarn Harlot's blog, and Margaret Atwood's comments, but I am quite sure that an "ordinary Canadian" such as yourself could have written something equally worthwhile.

Do I need to add that I find Stephen Harper appalling on so many levels? I weep for my beloved country, and I have lost faith in the Canadian electorate who gave Harper his narrow mandate in the first place.