Ottawa is awash with money, almost all of it borrowed...and is desperately seeking out places to throw it. An area targeted by the Harper government is that of tourism, with Stephen's Economic Action Plan zeroing in on larger scale events for its "Marquee Tourism Events Program".
On the government website is a list of some of the projects being funded, including such well known events as: The Calgary Stampede, Montreal's Just for Laughs, Stratford Ontario's Shakespeare Festival and the Vancouver International Jazz Festival. In fact there are at least 8 festivals of various types receiving federal funding. But the money granted to Toronto's Gay Pride week has apparently left Herr Harper in a decidedly unfestive mood.
The minister who signed off on it, Diane Ablonczy, has seen her purse full of government stimulus money snatched. According to a report in the National Post, just days after announcing $400,000 for the Toronto event, the minister of state for small business and tourism has had control over the file taken from her.
Brad Trost, a Saskatchewan Conservative minion of parlia... errr, I mean member of parliament, gave an interview to lifesitenews.com in which he says:
Later in the same article Trost is quoted as saying:
Only in Stephen Harper's government is a person's sexuality considered a political issue, and a polarizing one at that.
Play the trombone in a jazz band? No problem. Like to get up on stage and tell jokes in Montreal? There's cash for that. A fan of Anne of Green Gables being performed in Charlottetown? Bully for you, grab a barrel full of hundreds and help spruce PEI's capital up for all the tourists.
Want to celebrate human sexuality in all its forms? WHOA WHOA WHOA!!! Not if it includes them thar homersexuels buddy.
Isn't Harper's Canada grand? Just grab your hymnbook and don't deviate from the music coming from the church organ. And those other organs? We'll just pretend you didn't ask, the money in the collection isn't for that.
Other Progressive Bloggers writing about this:
On the government website is a list of some of the projects being funded, including such well known events as: The Calgary Stampede, Montreal's Just for Laughs, Stratford Ontario's Shakespeare Festival and the Vancouver International Jazz Festival. In fact there are at least 8 festivals of various types receiving federal funding. But the money granted to Toronto's Gay Pride week has apparently left Herr Harper in a decidedly unfestive mood.
The minister who signed off on it, Diane Ablonczy, has seen her purse full of government stimulus money snatched. According to a report in the National Post, just days after announcing $400,000 for the Toronto event, the minister of state for small business and tourism has had control over the file taken from her.
Brad Trost, a Saskatchewan Conservative minion of parlia... errr, I mean member of parliament, gave an interview to lifesitenews.com in which he says:
Later in the same article Trost is quoted as saying:
Only in Stephen Harper's government is a person's sexuality considered a political issue, and a polarizing one at that.
Play the trombone in a jazz band? No problem. Like to get up on stage and tell jokes in Montreal? There's cash for that. A fan of Anne of Green Gables being performed in Charlottetown? Bully for you, grab a barrel full of hundreds and help spruce PEI's capital up for all the tourists.
Want to celebrate human sexuality in all its forms? WHOA WHOA WHOA!!! Not if it includes them thar homersexuels buddy.
Isn't Harper's Canada grand? Just grab your hymnbook and don't deviate from the music coming from the church organ. And those other organs? We'll just pretend you didn't ask, the money in the collection isn't for that.
Other Progressive Bloggers writing about this:
- four strong winds: Conservative Government Punishes Minister of State for Funding Pride Parade
- Troy's Journal: Our lovely Conservative Party
- impolitical: Governing ugly
- Liberal Arts And Minds: Think the Religious Right Has No Voice in Government?
- Bigcitylib Strikes Back: Has Diane Ablonczy Been Demoted For Being Too Gay Friendly?
- The Galloping Beaver: The Reform Party long-knives seem to be out
- Montreal Simon: The Bigot Burning of Diane Ablonczy
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