donating is satisfying

"nancy aka moneycoach" is exactly right -- if this gets up your nose revenge is a couple of clicks and a few dollars away. I donated and I can report that it was very satisfying.

http://www.nektarinanonprofit.com/2011/07/we-need-your-help.html

Too much federal interference

Here is another article of the feds interference.

http://www.vancouversun.com/technology/Feds%2Bsilence%2Bscientist%2Bover%2BWest%2BCoast%2Bsalmon%2Bstudy/5162745/story.html

This is becoming too much. Even the HST (Harper's sales tax) is another case in point where the feds are interfering in our provincial politics.

This really is no surprise is it??

It has been quite obvious from years ago that Harper and his ilk will validate nor support no other ideology than their own. This little man, this sweater-kitty fascist, continues to tread on all that Canadians hold dear.

National politics is no longer even superficially about good government, it is all about concentrating wealth and control into the hands a minuscule corporatist cadre at the expense of everyone and everything else.

Art? Pfiu! If it isn't neo-con propaganda, it ain't art.

Where do I sign up for the revolution?

I just Donated too

Good Luck Franke, I hope your tour goes well.

Up your's Steve!

Too much federal and provincial interference.

Canada, BC and Alberta all have too much money to loose if the federal government dosen't keep information censored on anything related to environmental and ecosystem failures. As climates, oceans and ecosystems spin out of control , our governments will try to pretend that Rome is indeed not burning. The public stands to gain by telling the true story and business and irresposible governments will loose. Why?
All issues globally which are related to the environment carry a huge cost. Canada and its federal and provincial governments are all corporate pawns. The fish farm fiasco indicates the same. The tar sands do as well.
The longer the public takes to make a stance against this government , the less chance we have of leaving anything but a frigged up planet for our kids and grandchildren.

I donated

If Harper can muzzle climate-change scientists, I am sure he wouldn't hesitate to snuff climate-change art.

Why am I not surprised...

Canada is going down the path of the US. Or worst - we are becoming Germany in 1939.

But, there are many ways to tell our story to others. Art is one of them and the government can try to interfere as much as they want. They will not succeed! Trying to muzzle the hunderds of Canadians traveling to Europe or talking to their relatives and friends in Europe is a futile task. Controling blogs and websites that talk about Canadian environmental policies is also futile. I guess one reason the government wants to have the online 'lawful' entry bill passed. Naively, they think we can be censored this way.

Well, good luck Harper - it will NOT work! I'm pretty sure of that. The world has shrunk and nowadays there are hardly any information that can be hidden for long. The tar sands in Alberta are visible from satellites and if the government thinks that other countries won't know - well - they are idiots. And unfortunately these idiots will cause a lot of damage to this country. Environmentally and otherwise.

more on scientists & artists

My partner recently exhibited her pine-beetle inspired paintings at an international forest pathologists' conference in Spain (http://messagefromthebeetle.wordpress.com/) on the topic "Global change and forest diseases."

Canada Council would not provide any travel assistance because the exhibit was not in a "gallery", even though for us it was far more interesting to install the work in an old monastery, especially for a viewing audience of scientists. BC Arts Council declined an application for $2500 in travel funds. So we fundraised, and our friends and family helped us get there.

The scientists - 73 delegates from 17 countries - were moved and inspired by the work, and very glad to see art and science brought together. We really enjoyed meeting them and learned a lot from the conference.

There were only 3 delegates (+ one spouse) from Canada, which seemed odd, considering the importance of forestry in our economy. Funding cuts? Hard to tell, but it was clear that artists and scientists have much in common, apart from a mutual search for truth and beauty.

Don't be so paranoid

Even "ART" must have patrons, it is not up to the taxpayer to support everything that someone happens to call "Art".

Call me names, if you must

There are a host of very legitimate causes for alarm when it comes to the Harper government's interference in free expression and its ridiculous climate change policies. There are several related but somewhat separable issues in this story. There is also a real world, and as such one key part of the story is just a wee bit out of sync. In the real world, does an artist who portrays Stephen Harper as a sexual exhibitionist (see her gallery) get support for her work criticizing Harper's policies from Canadian EMBASSIES? I can only view Franke James's high dudgeon on that count as weak grandstanding or depressing naivete.

Not Art

I don't think what she does is art but propaganda for her chosen cause. Why should taxpayers have to fund her propaganda when more important issues like famine in Somalia and research into cancer need money?

Taxpayers??

The article doesn't say she is funded by Canadian tax payers.

The issue is the Canadian government calling her supporters in Europe and cohercing them into canceling her show.

The interferance of the Canadian Government caused her to lose $75,000 in Corporate funding.

Government sensorship, plain and simple.

Dear Kootenay

Beyond you first point, we don't know that any of the things you say are true. There are allegations. We don't know how firm the insurance company's commitment was. Perhaps they hadn't seen much of her art, and when they did they didn't like it. Perhaps the support was contingent on, say, embassy support, which is simply never going to happen. After all, those embassies represent Stephen Harper. They're not like the Canada Council. When I read this story I also see the possibility of considerable naivete and misplaced optimism on the part of the artist and her supporters. I know a bit about arts sponsorship. Do I see a show like hers getting $75,000 in corporate support? Nope.

and then there are corporate subsidies

Arts funding is an easy target because it is visible. I suggest that those who criticize government support for the arts take a look at the many hidden subsidies, esp. in the form of tax breaks, given to big businesses, including transnationals.

Linda McQuaig's "Behind Closed Doors - how the rich took control of Canada's tax system" is a good place to start. Though a bit dated, it will give the picture.

But of course, this story is only about government funding insofar as embassy support involves tax dollars. It will be interesting to see if the FOA request leads to anything that turns the allegations of interference into fact.

Poster Propaganda

The government should not support what is no more than 'poster' presentations espousing a political view.

In fact taxpayers should not be supporting this sort of nonsense what so ever. If an artist is good, appropriate non-government sponsors will appear.

Certainly Canadian Embassies should not be underwriting this sort of stuff in any case.

propaganda and perception

Wether its green propaganda or not, artistic expression should be allowed to manifest itself any way possible. Well, within reason.

If the artwork raises the ire of the federal government or opens up debate, the art is probably on the right track.

Problem is many people have a limited definition of what art is, and the only art education they have, is watching a Bob Ross video.

I don't buy into all the green ideologies myself but visual artists, musicians, writers and designers should be free and encouraged to express themselves.

If they can't democracy is in trouble.

2 messages here

First message: federal govt. interference. Secondly, and just as important derives from the statement "This was most surprising given Canada's reputation over many decades as a leader in promoting democratic freedoms." Yes, our days as a great nation are long gone. Welcome to the future. Too bad, so sad!