Dion makes $530-million in promises for arts, culture by Andy Blatchford
Source : Globe & Mail
September 20, 2008
MONTREAL — Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion charged into Quebec on Saturday, attacking the Conservatives' arts record and saying that Conservative Leader Stephen Harper knows little about the province's culture.
The Liberals also released French-language attack ads, taking aim at the Tories on everything from cultural policy, economic management and the environment.
Speaking at Montreal's Place des Arts, Mr. Dion offered $530-million in promises to boost the country's cultural sector.
Mr. Dion is banking on a backlash against the Conservatives over the government's recent cuts to arts and culture funding. He repeated an earlier promise to reinstate the nearly $45-million in cuts.
In the wake of the reductions, Mr. Harper has been accused of censorship and become the target of angry protests in Quebec.
Mr. Dion portrayed the Liberals as defenders of arts and culture, something he says is very close to the hearts of Quebeckers.
“When Stephen Harper made the cuts to culture, he didn't think us Quebeckers would pursue him – this is proof that he doesn't know us and he doesn't understand us,” Mr. Dion told a crowd of supporters.
“For us Quebeckers, culture is deeply rooted in our identity.”
Mr. Harper has focused much of the first two weeks of his campaign in Quebec, which is critical to his drive for a majority government.
Mr. Dion's new promises Saturday were aimed at parrying this Tory push into his home province.
He vowed to commit $230-million to the Canada Council of the Arts – a crown corporation with a mandate to promote Canadian artists.
Mr. Dion also pledged $163-million in tax credits for film and video production and millions more in areas such as averaging the income of artists, support for arts touring, museum assistance and a digital media fund.
Mr. Dion also accused Mr. Harper of seeking to abolish the CBC and its French-language service, Radio-Canada.
He said the Conservatives are polling people about whether they feel the $1.1-billion budgeted for the CBC is money well-spent.
“I challenge Stephen Harper to be honest with Canadians and admit that he dreams of shutting down the CBC,” he said.
Radio-Canada has played a significant role in shaping Quebec's identity, as the CBC has done in the rest for Canada, the Liberal Leader said.
Mr. Harper. however, portrayed Conservatives as the party of the CBC Saturday, rejecting Liberal insinuations that he has secret plans to gut it.
“It's the Conservative Party that created the CBC, Radio-Canada,” Mr. Harper told reporters in Iqaluit, Nunavut. Conservatives point out it was Progressive Conservative Prime Minister R.B. Bennett who launched the CBC in 1935.
“Our government put in about $60-million for the CBC. The only hidden agenda in this campaign are the efforts of Mr. Dion to hide his carbon tax agenda and his intentions of running a deficit. Our platform and our record are clear and this government is very proud to run our record and our platform.”
Conservatives have expressed concerns over the years that their party is not always covered fairly by CBC News. In the last session of Parliament, the Conservative Party filed a complaint with the CBC over accusations that a CBC journalist had suggested questions to a Liberal MP on the House of Commons ethics committee.
Earlier in the day, Mr. Dion campaigned in eastern Ontario, promoting his Green Shift.
He urged party workers to stress that the carbon tax plan will create significant tax breaks.
“Go door to door and explain that to Canadians, because many of them think that the propaganda of the Conservatives is right and that their taxes will go up because of the Liberals,” Mr. Dion said on a street corner in the village.
“No, it will be good for your wallet and good for the planet.”
With a report from Bill Curry
© Globe and Mail
The Liberals also released French-language attack ads, taking aim at the Tories on everything from cultural policy, economic management and the environment.
Speaking at Montreal's Place des Arts, Mr. Dion offered $530-million in promises to boost the country's cultural sector.
Mr. Dion is banking on a backlash against the Conservatives over the government's recent cuts to arts and culture funding. He repeated an earlier promise to reinstate the nearly $45-million in cuts.
In the wake of the reductions, Mr. Harper has been accused of censorship and become the target of angry protests in Quebec.
Mr. Dion portrayed the Liberals as defenders of arts and culture, something he says is very close to the hearts of Quebeckers.
“When Stephen Harper made the cuts to culture, he didn't think us Quebeckers would pursue him – this is proof that he doesn't know us and he doesn't understand us,” Mr. Dion told a crowd of supporters.
“For us Quebeckers, culture is deeply rooted in our identity.”
Mr. Harper has focused much of the first two weeks of his campaign in Quebec, which is critical to his drive for a majority government.
Mr. Dion's new promises Saturday were aimed at parrying this Tory push into his home province.
He vowed to commit $230-million to the Canada Council of the Arts – a crown corporation with a mandate to promote Canadian artists.
Mr. Dion also pledged $163-million in tax credits for film and video production and millions more in areas such as averaging the income of artists, support for arts touring, museum assistance and a digital media fund.
Mr. Dion also accused Mr. Harper of seeking to abolish the CBC and its French-language service, Radio-Canada.
He said the Conservatives are polling people about whether they feel the $1.1-billion budgeted for the CBC is money well-spent.
“I challenge Stephen Harper to be honest with Canadians and admit that he dreams of shutting down the CBC,” he said.
Radio-Canada has played a significant role in shaping Quebec's identity, as the CBC has done in the rest for Canada, the Liberal Leader said.
Mr. Harper. however, portrayed Conservatives as the party of the CBC Saturday, rejecting Liberal insinuations that he has secret plans to gut it.
“It's the Conservative Party that created the CBC, Radio-Canada,” Mr. Harper told reporters in Iqaluit, Nunavut. Conservatives point out it was Progressive Conservative Prime Minister R.B. Bennett who launched the CBC in 1935.
“Our government put in about $60-million for the CBC. The only hidden agenda in this campaign are the efforts of Mr. Dion to hide his carbon tax agenda and his intentions of running a deficit. Our platform and our record are clear and this government is very proud to run our record and our platform.”
Conservatives have expressed concerns over the years that their party is not always covered fairly by CBC News. In the last session of Parliament, the Conservative Party filed a complaint with the CBC over accusations that a CBC journalist had suggested questions to a Liberal MP on the House of Commons ethics committee.
Earlier in the day, Mr. Dion campaigned in eastern Ontario, promoting his Green Shift.
He urged party workers to stress that the carbon tax plan will create significant tax breaks.
“Go door to door and explain that to Canadians, because many of them think that the propaganda of the Conservatives is right and that their taxes will go up because of the Liberals,” Mr. Dion said on a street corner in the village.
“No, it will be good for your wallet and good for the planet.”
With a report from Bill Curry
© Globe and Mail
Related Documents:
September 15, 2008 - News Release - Mr. Harper, is CBC a good or bad use of tax dollars?
In light of controversial comments and a provocative fundraising letter from his party, FRIENDS says Prime Minister Harper should tell Canadians where he stands on the CBC.
In light of controversial comments and a provocative fundraising letter from his party, FRIENDS says Prime Minister Harper should tell Canadians where he stands on the CBC.
