James Moore should give Peter MacKay history lessons

Late last year, as the federal government launched plans to celebrate the bicentennial of the War of 1812, Heritage Minister James Moore was heard to lament the fact that Canada's high schools are doing a very poor job of teaching students about history.

Canadian Heritage Minister James Moore, who announced Tuesday that Ottawa is plowing nearly $30-million into the 1812-1814 conflict’s bicentennial, says he wants to sharpen efforts to teach Canada about its past. 

“In only four of Canada’s 10 provinces are students required to take history before they graduate from high school,” he said. “I think that’s a sadly low number so I want to work on improving that.”

While Moore is rather outside his area of responsibility, education being a provincial responsibility, he was absolutely correct. He needn't go outside the federal sphere to start rectifying the problem though, as it seems there's actually a candidate for remedial courses around the cabinet table.

Defence Minister Peter MacKay has been getting attention for what some are calling his novel reworking of the War of 1812 — one where the French were apparently fighting side-by-side with the British in battling the American invaders. 

There is only one problem with that, say those who attended MacKay’s speech at the French embassy in Ottawa last week. The French supported the Americans in the War of 1812.

Then they can move on to geography...

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Video: James Moore and Mark Strahl on one member, one vote

As I mentioned earlier, an attempt led by MP Scott Reid to change the equal ridings one member, one vote method of leadership selection is generating buzz at the Conservative convention. I'll have a fiery speech on the topic shortly, but here are BC MP Mark Strahl (son of Chuck) and BC Minister James Moore trying to avoid definitive statements on the topic.

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Gordon Campbell is poised to gut B.C.'s funding for the arts

Yesterday, Prime Minister Stephen Harper visited Victoria to address the non-prorogued BC Legislative Assembly. While there, you’d think he might have pulled BC Premier Gordon Campbell aside and told him the story of how Harper’s Conservatives lost their majority, in no small part, thanks to their short-sighted decision in the last election to gut funding for the arts.

Harper has somewhat learned his lesson; the feds have restored much of the funding or increased it in other areas, and Canadian Heritage minister James Moore has found the arts religion. Sadly, though, Campbell must not read the news, as his BC “Liberal” government is poised to table massive cuts of 90 per cent to arts funding in the next provincial funding that would decimate BC’s vibrant arts community.

The cuts actually began last fall, when citing the economic downturn the province moved to slash arts funding by 90 per cent over two years. In the face of public blowback, some of the funding was restored with gaming money, but the service plan going forward still shows 90 per cent cuts so it seems the cuts will be restored in the next budget. The cuts will take core BC provincial arts funding from $19.5 million in 2008/09 all the way down to just $2.25 million in 2010/11, according to the service plan.

While $20 million may not seem like a lot of money in government terms (and BC was already one of the lowest per capita arts spenders in the country), the cuts are devastating for BC arts groups. For them, government funding is a huge multiplier that allows them to leverage private sector donations. These groups also operate on very thin margins as it is; cutting government funding can be a death knell.

What’s more, government arts funding is an investment that pays dividends for the government. A report from the BC government itself showed that for every dollar invested, $1.36 comes back in taxes. And the Conference Board of Canada and City of Vancouver estimate every dollar spend on arts municipally generated $7 to $13 in economic spinoff.

These draconian cuts to arts funding by the Campbell Liberals just don’t make sense. That’s a view shared by the BC Legislature's Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services, which, as part of its pre-budget consultations, in November unanimously called on the government to restore arts funding to 2008/09 levels. That committee recommendation was backed by all the Liberals on the committee including the MLA in my home riding in BC, the Comox Valley’s Don McRae.

Heck, even Conservative minister James Moore opposes these cuts:

…Moore made a forceful case that arts funding is an essential element in an economic stimulus program during difficult times. "This has to be a central component if we're going to deal with economic recovery," he said.

"There's a strong fiscally conservative argument for supporting the arts," Moore added, explaining that writers create things of social and economic value out of little more than their own knowledge and imagination. Moore said the cultural sector employs 650,000 people in Canada, twice the number employed in either forestry or agriculture, and he declared that infrastructure without the kind of activity that artists provide is "culturally and economically soulless."

The Harper government, Barrack Obama, Dalton McGuinty in Ontario, Jean Charest in Quebec – they’ve all actually increased arts funding as part of their economic stimulus packages. BC, sadly, appears to be the odd-province out unless Campbell listens to the growing chorus, including much of his caucus, and restores this arts funding in the next budget.

There is still time though to send a message to Campbell (premier@gov.bc.ca) and finance minister Colin Hansen (colin.hansen.mla@leg.bc.ca) that they should change course and restore arts funding in the upcoming provincial budget.

If you want to know how you can get involved, check out the Facebook group: BC Hearts the Arts, and you can also visit Alliance for Arts and Culture, a Vancouver-based organization helping to rally support for overturning the cuts. Also check out Creativity Counts, a blogsite following the advocacy campaign.

Today, BC is welcoming the world for the Olympics. The arts will be a big part of the opening ceremonies tonight, and the cultural olympiad will run parallel to the sporting events. It would be a shame if the Olympic legacy was tarnished by short-sighted decisions.

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Will Steve Harper bail-out the National Post?

With all the National Post has done for the Conservative movement since 'ol Conrad Black set up shop in Don Mills, a government bail-out would be the least Stephen Harper's Conservatives could do:

The Harper government is considering help for Canada's troubled private TV broadcasters, including looser regulations and tax changes.

In an interview today with The Canadian Press, Heritage Minister James Moore says the government is looking at how to assist CanWest Global, which is teetering on the edge of bankruptcy.

He suggests the help could come in the form of loosened regulations and changes to the tax system, which would also help other private networks.

CanWest, CTVglobemedia and Quebecor have all been lobbying Prime Minister Stephen Harper and his cabinet for assistance.

And wait! What's this?

CanWest hired a former senior adviser to Harper to help with its lobbying efforts.

Quick, to the lobbyist registry! And I'm sure they've waited-out the mandatory cooling off period, right?

So, public assistance for the private media, courtesy Steve Harper's Conservatives. How do you like them apples, CBC?

UPDATE: According to the lobbyist registry, CanWest has no currently registered external lobbyists, but does have a number of internal staff registered to lobby on its behalf. Among them is Charlotte Bell, the vice-president of regulatory affairs, television and radio for CanWest Media Works, whom you may recall caused a little kerfuffle when she was involved in organizing a fundraiser for then Conservative heritage minister Bev Oda:

Heritage Minister Bev Oda has cancelled a fundraising event after critics attacked the fact that it was organized by a woman who lobbies her department.

Charlotte Bell, the vice-president of regulatory affairs, television and radio for CanWest Media Works, had been helping organize the fundraiser to re-elect Ms. Oda, bringing about opposition claims that the Conservatives were not acting as ethically as promised when it comes to corporate influence in politics.

Ms. Oda's spokesman, Chisolm Pothier, said she and Ms. Bell are old friends and the fundraiser was an annual event dating back to Ms. Oda's days in opposition.

"The minister was not aware Charlotte Bell was registered to lobby Canadian Heritage," he said. "To avoid any negative perception, she decided to cancel the event."

However, I don't think she was ever a "senior Harper adviser" though. And none of the other listed internal registered lobbyists appear to have held a "public office."

So the question remains, just who is this former "senior Harper adviser" that CanWest hired to lobby the government to help it stave off bankruptcy, and why aren't they listed in the registry?

Not to mention, of course, why help private broadcasters but tell the CBC to sink or swim?

UPDATE 2.0: More from impolitical.

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On apologies

A short blog entry, I apologize for that. And I haven't had time to write much of late, it's been a busy time at work, and with work related parties by some of the vendors and media relations firms that we work with. So, apologies for that, although it has been fun.

In other apologies news, I think Liberal MP Karen Redman owes me one (and one for James too) for jumping on this dumbass James Moore story the other day, and therefore not allowing me to get on my righteous high horse and savage the NDP for trying to be our self-appointed morality police. Good on the NDP for their apology on that thing though, although really, what a very stupid incident that whole thing was. It's a hard knock life for Jimmy Moore.

It's days like that I'm glad I don't make a living in politics because honestly, having to pretend to be all indignant and care about crap like that would have to eat away at the soul.

And speaking of apologies, nice to see the NDP correcting a long-term wrong, albeit by court order, and apologize for their smearing of a Liberal candidate in the last election:

NDP House leader Libby Davies formally apologized Thursday on behalf of her party for spreading allegations that a Liberal candidate in the last federal election tried to bribe his NDP rival to drop out of the race.

“The New Democratic Party admits we seriously erred in making the allegations public and in putting a young and inexperienced candidate in a position where he felt justified in making those allegations and to repeat them on some 40 occasions to media across Canada,” Ms. Davies told the Commons.

Rather overdue, I think. It would be nice to see Paul Martin apologize as well for joining the mob, bowing to the pressure and punting the guy overboard. Failing that though, as the current leader Stephane Dion could certainly step up to the plate and right a wrong here.

Just one question though. I see the NDP put up Libby Davies to offer the apology for the party. I like Libby. As a student journalist back in the day she always had time for the student media, and I appreciated that. I have to wonder, where was Jack Layton?

Apoligiupdate: I need to withdraw my "good on the NDP" for apologizing over GirlfriendPictureGate, and for that withdrawal I apologize. But it seems the NDP's Irene Mathyssen is turning her apology into a non-apology apology. At least in her hometown paper, not knowing they have the Interweb out there now too.

And so the stupidity continues. I think clearly Moore needs to post these photos of his significant other so we can judge ourselves the appropriateness of the pics for the commons chamber. Failing that, perhaps the NDP could publish a hand of acceptable photo standards. Skirts ok, but hems not higher than the knee, etc.

I'll leave with this quote from the first episode of The West Wing, when President Bartlett takes on some conservative morals types:

John Van Dyke: When our children can go to any street corner in America and buy pornography for five dollars, don't you think that is too high a price to pay for free speech?

President Josiah Bartlet: No. On the other hand, I think that five dollars is too high a price to pay for pornography.

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Another unelected Harper minister?!

The intrepid Sean Holman at Public Eye reports an intriguing rumour that Mary McNeil, the Conservative (*nomination, see update) candidate in the as yet uncalled Vancouver-Quadra by-election, may be elevated into cabinet as an unelected minister in the upcoming Harper cabinet shuffle:

Meanwhile, we're hearing suggestions Vancouver-Quadra nomination candidate and former BC Cancer Foundation president Mary McNeil should be given a seat at the big table.

This is rather interesting actually. It would address Harper’s problem of weak female bench strength, discussed in the Globe this morning. And it would give McNeil a boost (should she become the candidate) in a tough by-election battle against former B.C. cabinet minister Joyce Murray in a riding won handily last election by outgoing Liberal MP Stephen Owen. Campaigning as a minister is a plus for sure.

And it’s not entirely without precedent to have someone in cabinet before being elected to the HoC: Stephane Dion provides a handy example. And Harper broke even that convention (that the minister runs immediately in a by-election to win a seat) with the Michael Fortier Senate/Cabinet appointment, so don’t put it past him.

Of course, there are downsides. For one, Harper would fly flat in the face of past statements like this:

…you need to be elected to the Parliament of Canada to become a minister.

Not that Harper has been adverse to flip-flopping and completely reversing once deeply held principles in the past, mind you.

But such an appointment would also smack of desperation. Dion came into cabinet after a near referendum loss to fight for Canadian unity; I’m not sure low Conservative polling numbers equate to a national crisis. It would also be a smack in the face to the women in Harper’s caucus passed over for cabinet spots.

And then there’s the risk if she loses the by-election (which he’ll delay calling as long as possible) and is forced to resign in embarrassment. Even as a minister McNeil faces an uphill battle against Murray.

Anyway, a fun rumour for a slow summer day. Other B.C.-flavoured cabinet speculation from Holman:

Well, some party members are wondering whether Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister Chuck Strahl will be shuffled out of his portfolio or lose his post as the province's political minister in favour of Natural Resources Minister Gary Lunn. Not surprisingly, perennial rumours of a promotion for Port Moody-Coquitlam-Port Coquitlam parliamentarian James Moore are also blossoming. And some say Abbotsford parliamentarian Ed Fast could also be named to cabinet.

Since when did Lunn become a star, did I miss a memo? I've always felt it was rather the opposite. And the wheatboard shenanigans aside I’ve always liked Strahl, he’s just carrying the bag for Harper there anyway. Ed who? And I agree with Kady, let’s not get Moore’s hopes up. Every time I read this quote from James, back when Harper was about to announce his first cabinet, it breaks the heart a little. Poor kid:

A few words seared into my brain that I've been saying for about 2 weeks now: "Mr. Harper will announce his cabinet on Monday. I have nothing more to say." Where is Superman when you need him to spin the globe a little faster so Monday arrives sooner?

UPDATE: I'm reminded that McNeill hasn't even won the Conservative nomination for Quadra yet, but is running against business professor Deborah Meredith. One presumes Harper would give her an appointment or force/encourage Meredith to drop out before the cabinet appointment. Would be weird to put her into cabinet and still have a nomination race, wouldn't it?

But what adds another layer to this story is the dynamics of the nomination race, which is shaping-up as a battle of Harper insiders (i.e. John Reynolds) behind McNeill versus old Tories (Senators Pat Carney and Gerry St. Germain) behind Meredith.

Reynolds et. al. would certainly have the juice to pull off an appointment/cabinet slot for McNeil, but at what price to party unity?

While anything is possible, and I've learned to put nothing past Harper, one wonders if these McNeil cabinet rumours have a lot more to do with nomination race spin and positioning then anything else.

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