Things To Ponder on the Culture

I JUST DON'T HAVE the energy to do a big, pull-it-all-together Jim Henshaw-style post right now. So instead I'm just going to point you to the various pieces that had me thinking.

First, let's move a bit to context. It's no secret that politicians often feel freer to say what they really think when they get out of office. Even still, I was struck by the candor of the criticism by former PM Jean Chretien in the Globe and Mail the other day.

What's funnier is that Marcus Gee responded with a feel good, Canada-does-matter retort piece the next day. In there was a line I found particularly interesting:

Canada may not be the world's heaviest hitter, but it's not Togo, either. A member of the Group of Seven, it has the world's ninth-biggest economy. A reputation for fair dealing has made us a respected voice in the world – when we choose to speak. Canada spoke up about racism in South Africa and played a leading role in ending apartheid.

Which may or may not be true. But here's something else that's true: in five months living and working in Cape Town, South Africa, I got to have many, many conversations with South Africans -- black, white, and "colored" (their term) about the end of apartheid.

Never once did Canada come up.

And they knew I was there working on a Canadian co-production.

You know what did come up? The United States, especially when Reagan died. Reagan was not a beloved figure in South Africa, thanks to his dragging heels on apartheid.

Gee's "aw shucks, people really want to hear what Canada has to say" is exactly the same kind of myopic pap that feeds Canadians' collective ego. And the cancellation of the programs promoting Canadian artists abroad is exactly the opposite action to take if you, like Gee, want to feel comfortable in that "everybody loves Canada" bubble.

But then again, the Tories don't seem to mind putting fiscal prudence, common sense, or even science behind the all-important ideology.

For my money, the juice of what Chretien had to say was this:

Mr. Chrétien said Canada has to keep in mind that it is too small a global player to hector the Chinese or try to hurt them with boycotts.

"We have to live with reality," he said. "It's 1.3 billion people, and I'm telling you that they are moving fast. You think that Canada is very important in the world? I remember when I was going to China … the press saying: 'Mr. Chrétien, you have to tell the president of China to do this and do that.' Oh really?

"You want me to the tell the president of a country of 1.3 billion people you should do this and do that, but I don't dare to say what to do to the premier of Sask.? You have to put things in perspective."

Speaking to reporters afterward, Mr. Chrétien continued his fusillade. "We are at the bottom of the ladder in terms of having any influence with China. Ask any businessman who has been to China, and he will tell you the same thing."

Whenever anyone says anything vaguely like this -- it pierces the orthodoxy of Canadian thought. And the counter-reaction comes swiftly, as it did in the Globe & Mail editorial, and the Gee piece. It's still rippling.

The funny thing, of course, is that the very people who'll bitch loudest about "yousspending orrr txxxxdllllrs" n arts, also usually think that Canada is loved and talked about and respected to heck out there in the world.

Ignorance is bliss, truly.

Next, amidst the gaping silence offered by Josee Verner, who has managed in her short tenure as Culture Minister to make Bev Oda look like Sheila Copps, the Ontario and Quebec culture ministers made the important point that the "boondoggle" of the Arts is actually big fucking business in this country.

The culture sector plays a vital role in the Canadian economy. In Quebec and Ontario, the sector contributes close to $30 billion to both provinces’ GDP, which represents 68 per cent of the national cultural sector. The sector also employs roughly 616,000 people across the country of whom 68 per cent call Quebec and Ontario home.

Culture is one of Canada’s fastest growing economic sectors. It’s spin-off benefits include growth and diversification in tourism and local economies, and skills development for the knowledge economy. Investing in our home-grown talent on the international stage encourages foreign investment, opens new markets for export and promotes our country as a cultural tourism destination.

And there was an increasing indication -- leaked no doubt from the Conservatives -- that part of this arts funding money is being redirected toward amateur sport.

Don't believe the hype, chickens. In fact, though he couldn't manage to go to the games, seems like the PM is learning a thing or two from China.

The Harper government says the 2010 Winter Olympics opening ceremony must reflect its agenda as the price of its $20-million commitment to the event, an internal government briefing memo says.

The memo, marked secret and released under an access-to-information request, describes the role of the Canadian government in wording that appears to mix politics and sports, despite widespread criticism of China for politicizing the Beijing Olympics.

"The Minister has recently confirmed with VANOC in writing that the Department of Canadian Heritage intends to invest $20-million toward the opening ceremony of the Olympic Winter Games in order to ensure that the event adequately reflects the priorities of the Government and helps to achieve its domestic and international branding goals," the memo says.

No, this wasn't an issue for the Calgary 1988 games. Thanks for asking.

Seems like if you want to have yourself an opening ceremonies in 2010, you gotta push the old Conservative line, too. Or take your place on the enemies list.

That list is getting mighty long.

This video comes to me courtesy of Camilla, a friend of mine who stretches every penny to try and make the arts mean something to one corner of Canadian culture. Yeah, it's not the funniest one of these -- but it's Friday and I'm deaf in one ear. My entertainment threshold is a little low.



Have a good weekend.