Harper faces heat over Canada Day cash

[jdobbin]

http://www.ottawacitizen.com/Harper+faces+...1543/story.html

The Harper government came under fire on Monday over its spending for Canada Day celebrations, but it argued that there was nothing unusual about its decision to give Quebec 85% of the funds available for committees organizing festivities in 2008.

"The reality is that we have increased funding to support Canadian festivals across this country, including Canada Day, to celebrate Canada," Heritage Minister James Moore said in the House of Commons. "We are using this money effectively to support festivals and events across this country that support the birthday of this country . . . We are doing our job. We are making sure that Canada is celebrated and celebrated with honour." Moore's comments came in response to the release of a federal document that revealed an organizing committee in Quebec was approved to receive $3.2 million out of a total $3.8 million available across the country last year. The document, released following an Access to Information request by Montreal daily La Presse, also revealed that committees from Ontario and British Columbia received $100,000 and $55,000, respectively. Committees from Alberta and Saskatchewan each received $50,000.

85% of spending going to Quebec.

James Moore was able to say all of this with a straight face too.

[Machjo]

http://www.ottawacitizen.com/Harper+faces+...1543/story.html

85% of spending going to Quebec.

James Moore was able to say all of this with a straight face too.

To pay people to celebrate is a pretty desperate act.

[Argus]

To pay people to celebrate is a pretty desperate act.

It probably does boil down to that. Everywhere else, people celebrate Canada day more or less spontaneously, without any help from the goverment. In Quebec, where there is very little affection for Canada, the government has to step in to pay people to hold celebrations, and make them lavish enough that at least some people will attend even though they don't particularly care about why.

[Borg]

Simply levelling the playing field - why should one place get more than another?

No heat from me

Borg

[Smallc]

Everywhere else, people celebrate Canada day more or less spontaneously, without any help from the goverment.

Many communities get moeny to celebrate....and most Quebecers do seem to like Canada (as shown in numerous surveys), so your ideas don't hold any wieght.

There is a problem this year with funding direction though, and it seems to be aonther Conservative vote buy that isn't about to work.

[tango]

It probably does boil down to that. Everywhere else, people celebrate Canada day more or less spontaneously, without any help from the goverment. In Quebec, where there is very little affection for Canada, the government has to step in to pay people to hold celebrations, and make them lavish enough that at least some people will attend even though they don't particularly care about why.

more or less spontaneously

Oh pleez ...

Simply not true, Argus. Municipalities usually pay for the celebration. Who the heck pays for your fireworks?? Do you just take up a collection?

Do you even know??

Edited June 5, 2009 by tango

[Battletoads]

Harper is at least smart in one way, he knows Quebecers will suck up to the guy who they can beat the most money out of with their sepratist club.

If anything he will be trying to split the federalist vote as part of his strategy of keeping the liberals down at any cost.

[Argus]

Many communities get moeny to celebrate....and most Quebecers do seem to like Canada (as shown in numerous surveys), so your ideas don't hold any wieght.

There is a problem this year with funding direction though, and it seems to be aonther Conservative vote buy that isn't about to work.

The funding of Canada Day has ALWAYS been lopsided in Quebec's favour, for as long as there has been a Canada Day.

[Smallc]

And I suppose that unproven statement is an excuse for the Conservatives then?

[Argus]

more or less spontaneously

Oh pleez ...

Simply not true, Argus. Municipalities usually pay for the celebration. Who the heck pays for your fireworks?? Do you just take up a collection?

Do you even know??

The difference is that municipalities will willingly do that in the rest of Canada, knowing their voters will support such a thing. Municipalities in Quebec will not, because few of their voters have any interest in celebrating a "foreign" holiday. Outside of areas like Montreal, where there is a strong English presence, you will find virtually NO Canada Day celebrations which have not been fully paid for by the federal government. That is why the money always goes lopsidedly to Quebec. The feds to not want some Anglo station in Vancouver or PEI to put out a story that there are no Canada Day celebrations in the province of Quebec.

[Argus]

And I suppose that unproven statement is an excuse for the Conservatives then?

I don't think you have ever seen me excuse this kind of thing from the Tories. But I have witnessed it for year after year under Liberal reign too. It took very little searching to find the following from 2004:

The heritage minister is set to scrap or overhaul a federal Canada Day program that has doled out the lion's share of its cash to Quebec. A breakdown of the "Celebrate Canada" program's 2004-05 expenditures shows Quebec scooped up $5 million of the $7.3-million pot.

thismagazine

Edited June 6, 2009 by Argus

[capricorn]

Outside of areas like Montreal, where there is a strong English presence, you will find virtually NO Canada Day celebrations which have not been fully paid for by the federal government.

While living in Aylmer, Quebec, just outside Ottawa, I attended local Canada Day celebrations. There were as many Fleur-de-Lys as there were Canadian flags. The hot dogs and drinks were quite inexpensive though.

[jdobbin]

The funding of Canada Day has ALWAYS been lopsided in Quebec's favour, for as long as there has been a Canada Day.

And Harper used to make hay about that. I guess it makes sense now.

[Argus]

And Harper used to make hay about that. I guess it makes sense now.

Yes, now he's in full suckup mode to Quebec - just like your party has been in for the past forty years.

[ironstone]

I can be considered a Conservative supporter by most standards.But I do not support everything they do and stand for.They deserve criticism for handing over most of the Canada Day money to one province,in which most of the residents have little loyalty to Canada.

Back when the Liberals were in power,did they also give the lion's share to Quebec?

[Wild Bill]

The difference is that municipalities will willingly do that in the rest of Canada, knowing their voters will support such a thing. Municipalities in Quebec will not, because few of their voters have any interest in celebrating a "foreign" holiday. Outside of areas like Montreal, where there is a strong English presence, you will find virtually NO Canada Day celebrations which have not been fully paid for by the federal government. That is why the money always goes lopsidedly to Quebec. The feds to not want some Anglo station in Vancouver or PEI to put out a story that there are no Canada Day celebrations in the province of Quebec.

Oh no, we should never have a clear picture of the fact that Quebec as a province doesn't care to celebrate Canada Day! Perish the thought!

Actually, I would suggest that 'faking it' makes things even worse. We should distribute the funding equally. If Quebec chooses not to do anything then that should be public knowledge. We can then decide how to deal with that fact.

Pretending by bribing them to have celebrations just makes things worse.

[capricorn]

They deserve criticism for handing over most of the Canada Day money to one province,in which most of the residents have little loyalty to Canada.

I would bet that if the feds cut off all Canada Day funding to Quebec, you would be hard pressed to find communities celebrating on July 1st.

[jdobbin]

Yes, now he's in full suckup mode to Quebec - just like your party has been in for the past forty years.

Well, we'll see if the Tories go back to full hate for Quebec just as they have for the past 40 years.

[jdobbin]

I would bet that if the feds cut off all Canada Day funding to Quebec, you would be hard pressed to find communities celebrating on July 1st.

That may be so. The province made July 1 moving day. Most people's lease come due that day and on the 1st you see moving trucks all over the city. Half the time no one has any time for going to fireworks.

[Smallc]

I would bet that if the feds cut off all Canada Day funding to Quebec, you would be hard pressed to find communities celebrating on July 1st.

I'm pretty sure that You'd find celebrations in Montreal and the Eastern Townships.....probably Gatineau too...and others. Don't forget, the majority are loyal to Canada.

[Argus]

Well, we'll see if the Tories go back to full hate for Quebec just as they have for the past 40 years.

Just like a Quebecer, you seem to feel that

Give Quebec every possible thing it wants - neutral towards Quebec.

Deny any single thing to Quebec, ever - full hate mode towards Quebec

[Argus]

I'm pretty sure that You'd find celebrations in Montreal and the Eastern Townships.....probably Gatineau too...and others. Don't forget, the majority are loyal to Canada.

The majority of anglos an alophones anyway. Not the majority of Francophones.

[jdobbin]

Just like a Quebecer, you seem to feel that

We see the intense dislike, even hatred towards Quebec here every day.

Given the feeling that many Tories have to devolving powers to the provinces, you would think that Harper would have found common cause with Quebec. Instead, he turned on them in a red hot minute.

Give Quebec every possible thing it wants - neutral towards Quebec.

Deny any single thing to Quebec, ever - full hate mode towards Quebec

I believe Ignatieff has already said that Quebec shouldn't get everything carte blanche. Perhaps if Harper had stuck to the idea that his party was best for representing Quebec's voters, he would not be in the position he is. He threw the province under the bus to secure his western support and hold continued power.

[Hydraboss]

We see the intense dislike, even hatred towards Quebec here every day.

Given the feeling that many Tories have to devolving powers to the provinces, you would think that Harper would have found common cause with Quebec. Instead, he turned on them in a red hot minute.

I believe Ignatieff has already said that Quebec shouldn't get everything carte blanche. Perhaps if Harper had stuck to the idea that his party was best for representing Quebec's voters, he would not be in the position he is. He threw the province under the bus to secure his western support and hold continued power.

BS. Harper does nothing to "secure western support". He still has it and will as long as he's not Liberal. The man is a turncoat to western Canada, but he will still receive the votes from here. I'd love to see him truly "throw Kwebek under a bus", but it won't happen.

[Smallc]

The majority of anglos an alophones anyway. Not the majority of Francophones.

Probably an even split of Francophones....and a vast majority of Anglophones and Allophones.

Edited June 8, 2009 by Smallc