BC Arts Minister Krueger refuses to answer a question about arts cuts

This could be titled "Question-without-answer Period." September 17, 2009, the opposition challenged the BC Liberals on their misleading statements on the cuts to arts funding. Sound isn't quite synced to picture, but it still comes across clearly. Spencer Herbert and Norm Macdonald mention a number of prominent BC artists and celebrities who have protested the cuts, including Sarah McLachlan, Douglas Coupland, Brian Jungen and Kim Cattrall.

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• Kim Cattrall
• Douglas Coupland
• Sarah McLachlan
• Spencer Herbert
• BC Liberals
• Norm Macdonald
• Vancouver
• Revelstoke
• arts cuts
• arts funding
• protest
• Hansard
• BC
• parliament
• question period

[StopBCArtsCuts]

@xianapple Furthermore, in Canada, the provinces spend an average of $26 per person on arts funding. Given that BC is currently at approximately $4 per person, this puts us not only at dead last, but last by a massive margin. Remember that $26 is the average, which means that considering BC's $4, some provinces are spending much, much more than $26. Despite recession. Why is BC alone taking this route? Government fiscal incompetence is the reason.

[StopBCArtsCuts]

@xianapple Let us explain. The arts are not a business. They are a social necessity. Funds given to the arts come back to the government within a year. This is not the sort of "profitability" you are talking about , the profitability of commerce. The arts are crucial to social and even physical health and are a very cheap way of keeping society functioning in a tolerant and innovative way. Meanwhile, the meager funds awarded to the arts are returned to the public purse immediately. Why cut them?

[StopBCArtsCuts]

Nothing he says is relevant to the subject at hand! That patronizing attitude toward both the arts sector and to the 3 million British Columbians who attended/supported the arts last year is going to bite back at him and the BC Liberals in general. The fact that arts spending actually makes money for the government, rather than costing them anything, is starting to become known in the general BC population. It's supported in the gov't's own studies. These cuts are self-destructive and nutty.

[xianapple]

My unlcles Kidney Cancer was not a choice - This is where funding should go. I believe in strong government health care,educaton, etc...... but Gov should not be there to underwrite peoples personal hobies and careers (beyond the education portion). I serve as a Watchkeeping Officer and there is nothing in the Constitution that notes that the Gov will guarantee me a career as a Watchkeeper - Nor should their be.

[xianapple]

If it Arts make money, it should be able to stand on its two feet without Gov support. Why should a profitable enterprise should be given Gov support? you essentiall defeated your own argument in a way.

If the Art industry is as really financiall great as what you allege, then let the funding go to prgrams that are actuall rights like health care. I say that because your decision to go into Arts was just that, a personal choice that you made like my choice to become a seafarer ....continued

[tippoff]

... I don't understand how attacking the NDP is at all relevant to answering the question at hand.

[mugushi54]

How much tax money is there to divide amongst our population, and who decides how it will be devided? Certainly not these children. It is a tragic comedy to see how our "leaders" display such poor examples of mature, intelligent, rational behavior.  I agree, they are talking past each other, yet we elect them "democratically". The entire system is flawed from the core. Anyone who disagrees is probably nearer to the top of the monetary pyramid, living in a bubble ignorance.

[newty82]

is this how our gov't works...yikes...no one is talking to each other...they're talking past each other. ridiculous-ness

[md4bush]

Kim Catrall wouldn't of made it without taking off her clothes and spreading her legs in almost every film.

Canada is weird. Liberals cut spending and that is bad?

[3rdcoastnyucka]

...or so the Germans would have us believe