Thursday, August 28, 2008

As the Cuts Continue: Parliamentary Vids, Overseas Protests, and How to Speak Directly to Pols



As reported in the Globe and La Presse today, about 2,000 people turned out in Montreal yesterday to protest the government's $44-mil in sudden arts cuts.

La Presse ran some great pics and audio of the event, like the one above, and notes that attendees included Isabelle Hudon, the head of Montreal's chamber of commerce and Kim Nguyen, a video artist featured in the current Quebec Triennial, among others.

The Globe also notes that joint protests were held around at Canadian embassies in Berlin and Paris.

That's in front of the scenes. To get a look behind them, Jennifer McMackon at Simpleposie pointed me to this video from the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage that took place on Tuesday. (Click on August 26 to get the correct file.)

If you'd like to speak directly to the Committee on this matter, you've got a chance if you act fast. Izida Zorde at Fuse Magazine forwards the information that NDP MP Peggy Nash is looking for capable witnesses on the impact of the cuts. Nash has to submit her witness list by tomorrow morning, but if you email a bio and contact info today to nashp1b@parl.gc.ca, you may get the chance to give the pols a piece of your mind in person.

Photo: Martin Petit at Aug 27 arts cuts protests in Montreal; photo by Robert Mailloux of La Presse If you don't get the sign's 80s CanCon reference, get thee to Mitsou on Youtube maintenant!

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