[Bcma-l] Fwd: From CMA Clipping Service
bcma-l@museumsassn.bc.ca
bcma-l@museumsassn.bc.ca
Wed, 04 Mar 2009 09:35:42 -0800
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<b>Appeal for restoration of arts cuts rebuffed by Tories</b></span></font=
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CBC News, Tuesday, March 3, 2009</span></font>
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Representatives from the Canadian arts sector went to Parliament Hill
pleading for the restoration of arts programs cut last year, but it appear=
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their requests will be ignored.</span></font>
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The Conservatives chopped more than $45 million to culture funding last
August. The move affected several programs, including the Canadian
Independent Film and Video Fund, the National Training Program for the
Film and Video Sector, and Trade Routes, which allowed artists to travel
abroad to exhibit their work and for works to be featured outside of</span=
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Canada.</span></font>
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"Companies are going to fall," said John Lambert in his appearan=
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the Heritage Committee on Monday. Lambert is an agent for artists in four
provinces.</span></font>
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Lambert is upset the cuts affected the travel program for artists — =
PromArt
—and said Canada's artistic reputation abroad will die. Some interna=
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tours have already been cancelled.</span></font>
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"The Canadian government has radically destabilized a fully functioni=
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highly successful export industry — it's now being brought to a grin=
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halt," said Lambert.</span></font>
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Robin Jackson, head of the Canadian Independent Film and Video Fund,
said her program had a review which praised its success with
documentaries. Soon after, she got a call saying the program was being
cancelled, leaving documentary producers out in the cold.</span></font>
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"There's a possibility that around 100 producers may not get their la=
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payment for their projects."</span></font>
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<b>Canadian Screen Training Centre to close</b> </span></font>
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Max Berdowski, the head of the Canadian Screen Training Centre, said his
organization is losing 40 per cent of its budget. The centre has helped so=
me
of Canada's most successful filmmakers, including those behind Bon Cop
Bad Cop, Water and The Barbarian Invasions.</span></font>
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"Unless this critical core funding is replaced we will close our door=
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in a year's time," warned Berdowski.</span></font>
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The pleas were rebuffed by the parliamentary secretary for Heritage, Dean
Del Mastro, who responded by pointing to record levels of arts spending by=
the Conservatives.</span></font>
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"We have given $100 million for marquee festivals from coast to coast=
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$20 million for national arts programs."</span></font>
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A Tory MP on the committee said the government is making difficult but
necessary reallocations.</span></font>
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------------------------------------------------</span></font>
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_______________________________</span></font>
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Jim Harding, ED</span></font>
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BC Museums Association</span></font>
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(250) 356-5694</span></font>
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