"Atrocious Political Management"

So claims the University of Calgary political scientist, Tom Flanagan. Former strategist and colleague of Stephen Harper, for the Reform Party of Canada. Them were the days. Mr. Flanagan has, more often than not of late, found occasion to be critical of the prime minister. For not being sufficiently cute, as in politically foxy. Mr. Flanagan believes that the Conservative-led government, in creatively finding reasons to fund some "tourism events" and not others, is doing itself a distinct disservice.

As it pertains to offending people and special arts-interest groups who have become accustomed to having tax dollars doled out for their fun and games. Not that there are not festivals and arts groups well deserving of that public funding. But there are entirely too many whose organizers feel entitled to ongoing funding when they should instead be looking to their own fund-raising resources, to lobby business to help fund their activities in exchange for the public-relations lift.

Music festivals of all kinds are put on annually in many Canadian cities and there is no denying these are worthwhile cultural events. They should, logically, seek their funding from the municipalities wherein they exist, augmented by local businesses. And since many of these festivals give free public access, perhaps they might begin charging modest entrance fees to help mount their ongoing performances.

The Stratford Shakespeare Festival should be able to pay its own way, yet still depends on government grants. It is a well-recognized, well-publicized, well-attended and -applauded local event that brings many visitors to Stratford, just as the Shaw Festival in Niagara-on-the-Lake does; both events culturally elite in nature and eminently deserving of their reputations for excellence.

The Calgary Stampede - an exciting action event (in the opinion of those inclined) that brings visitors to that city, from international stampede aficionados, as well as Canadians who enjoy celebrating such events - is another success story as a well organized, well attended event of huge interest. Calgary is a well-heeled city in a wealthy province; does the Stampede really require funding from federal coffers?

And why, for that matter, if a well-attended, internationally celebrated event, is funded one year, should it anticipate ongoing funding? The Toronto International Film Festival, can raise its own funding, on the laurels of its outstanding local and international reputation. Along with the other two Toronto festivals which have been cut from funding this year; the Jazz and Just for Laughs Festivals.

The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair is a heritage event of great value, celebrating this country's agri-business and social past of a time nostalgic to most people. Most Canadians, if given the choice, would agree to fund it, and allow the Gay Pride Parade to find its own sponsors. In-your-face bizarre isn't for everyone, even if a whole whack of people get out there to ogle the spectacle of colour and 'freaky' behaviourism.

Gay Pride Parade organizers have taken their own festival into the sphere of questionable political agitation, having successfully won their own political-social-values battle to a victorious win. Their ease with the inclusion of the splenetically-slanderous "Queers against Israel Apartheid" earns them general contempt. There are a whole lot of people who resist their tax dollars funding those activities.

If indeed the current Conservative-led government has a socially conservative agenda, well that's the way it is. Not a bad idea to be fiscally conservative; it is actually prudent. If the discussion is all about "some kind of homophobia", one doubts it, frankly. And if the discussion is about being less than adept at wooing all facets of society through the generous dispensation of tax dollars, then so be it.