I'm down in Boston for a conference, right now I'm stuck in the lobby of a Westin while I wait for the powers that be to straighten-out my room booking. A TV off to the side is showing, of course, the summer games in Beijing. And as I boarded my Air Canada flight this morning in Toronto, the seat-back TVs were running an Olympic-themed slideshow. I was also up far too late last night watching rowing, or sculling or whatever the heck it is, and volleyball and what not. Olympic fever.
And while Canada is so-far meadal-ess, should our athletes reach the podium they'll be in for cash bonuses. Indeed, our governments over recent years have been investing heavily in amateur sport and our Olympic programs, with the goal of improved performances and more medals. And we should be making those investments.
As we read today though about more cuts by the Conservatives to arts funding, one wonders how they can justify heavy investment in sport while scaling back investment in the arts and somehow unworthy, as not the kind of thing the government should be involved in? How is one more meretirous than the other?
Do sports and the arts really offer differing returns on our investment? Both raise our country's prestige and standing on the world stage. Both provide role models for youth, and encourage them to explore their talents and get involved in their communities.
I hesitate to proffer the theory that Conservatives see sports as macho and the arts as, well, not, but that may be part of it. It may well be many of them would cut sports funding too, if they had their druthers. They'd be hard-pressed to get away with such cuts now though, in the lead-up to the 2010 Vancouver Games.
Both sports and the arts are important though, and both are worthy and deserving of our support.
Monday, August 11, 2008
How do you justify funding sports, but not the arts?
Thursday, April 12, 2007
One down, fifteen to go
Man, I'm exhausted and I only stayed-up for the first period of overtime of the Canucks/Stars game last night. In my defence, being in Ontario that was at 1:15 am, and I do need to work today.
Four overtime periods, wow. Thank-god they pulled it out, the Sedins rocked. The four periods I did watch were great hockey, although it would be nice if the Canucks could learn how to protect a lead. I thought we had it when we went up by two.
Anyway, quite a start to the series, this one is going to be a grind. Hopefully Matt Cooke and Alex Burrows aren't injured too seriously. Cooker in particular would be a big loss.
Go Canucks!
P.S. The Sens looked absolutely dominant against the Pens. It's just one game, but hopefully they can keep it up and finally exercise some of their playoff demons.