You mean they make more then beer up there? Written on September 25, 2008, by Zack.
This poster was illustrated by Pascal Blanchet, a man whose abounding creativity leaps right off the page and kicks the viewer in the face. It was created in response to Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s “bare-bones approach to arts-funding” (to quote Canadian author Yann Martel, who has decided to protest in his own unique fashion). Oh, for those of my readership who don’t know Harper’s reputation, he’s basically the George Bush of Canada. Yeah, that bad.
Now, as a red white and blue-blooded, bald eagle making out with, Iraqi-invading under false pretenses American, I have been appalled time and again to discover my favorite cartoons and cartoonists are –good lord,choke!- Canadian. “The Cat Came Back,” CANADIAN. New Yorker-esque cartoonist extraordinaire Seth, CANADIAN. “Ren and Stimpy” creator John K, CANADIAN. Chester Brown, CANDIAN (okay, so considering his magnum opus is a biography of Louis Riel, I saw that one coming). I suppose when the weather constantly forces you indoors, you have to find something to do with your time.
Well, here’s a salute to those hard-working Canadians artist, and here’s hoping Harper and his conservative cronies will get their TimBits handed to them this coming election.
For more Pascal Blanchet, who makes amazing comics himself, go here. You will not be disappointed.
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I’ll never think of Timbits in the same way again. Lovely poster.
interesting…..
feed me more art work.
(horray for kanuks)
“George Bush of Canada”?? – Harper is about as right wing as Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama combined. Socialized medicine? Check. Partial birth abortions? No problem. Environment? Better than the left wing government before it. Taking people off the tax roles? Check. Pulling out of Afghanistan? Check. The drab personality of Hillary? Check.
Oh and the arts funding. It has actually gone up with the Conservatives over the left wing liberals (http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/theeditorialpage/story.html?id=3b69cdc2-f7f3-410d-9c8b-1456be376206).
Thanks Amber, Brian!
And thanks for the opposing perspective on the issue, Jonathan. I took a gander at the article you sent, and I feel like I’d need a bit more information before I could confidently reply to his points. Anyone with a link to an article with a differing view, please post it here. In the meantime, I’ll search for more facts myself.
I will say this, though, that the author’s opening paragraph seems to betray a slant against artistic enterprise in general. Saying Canadian artists should be more worried about the war in Afghanistan then in arts funding ignores the fact that if the artists don’t care about arts funding, no one will. The arts are an extremely tenuous business to be in (this is experience talking here), and it feels sometimes that an artist spends half his/her time working, and the other half fighting for his/her rights. This is an overlooked (from the outside) aspect of the arts, and leads to people in stable jobs calling artist whiners for getting up in arms over what they perceive to be minor issues. I think this is what’s happening in the article.
As for Harper being the George W. Bush of Canada, I defer to my Northern brethren the Talstras from whom I stole the comparison:
http://amandaniel.blogspot.com/2008/08/fashion-update-new-hat-and-glasses.html
As you can see in the photo, Dan and Amanda are standing quite close to Harper, nearly touching. Using the Palin Principle – that entities in close proximity necessarily engage in deep political relations – I’d say the Talstras may know a thing or too more about Harper’s politics then you, who is in Alberta, and nowhere near Harper.
I mean, it’s only reasonable, right? THEY’RE ALMOST TOUCHING, JONATHAN!
Actually, I have foreign policy experience because Alberta touches the US state of Montana. I’m glad we don’t have foreign policy/experience litmus tests in Canada. They seem..silly. No one who is elected PM or Foreign Affairs Minister in Canada typically has any. Although, I suppose we aren’t a superpower in anything save Hockey.
The slant of the writer of the article I send is indeed is one way. Facts are facts though. They stand on their own.
That said, I am highly skeptical of arts funding by the government. If there is one thing that should not be under the influence of art, it is government. Otherwise the art will keep massaging the hand that feeds it – not the best thing in a democracy.
It is like the government funded CBC, while great in some respects (not so great in others), too often kneels down to kiss the ring in its coverage. I take its reporting with a grain of salt.
The Conservatives made some cuts to funding recently after the press found out our Culture department was funding pornos. If people want to make Fun with Bubbles (or whatever it was called) on their own dollar, fine by Canadians. But Canadians aren’t particularly sympathetic when said directors face the reality that their pornos actually have to stand alone on the market to be made in the future.
Oh, and you linked to “What is Stephen Harper reading?” When I was at his desk in October on a private tour, there were two books on it: Lee Iacocca’s “Where have all the leader’s gone?” and a book on French language, culture, and history. Just FYI.