Moron... er, I mean More On Hector Goudreau
As ahab recently noted, Premier "Nice Guy Eddie" Stelmach's recent appointment as Alberta's new Minister of As noted in the Edmonton Journal:
Hector Goudreau says funding for the Alberta Foundation for the Arts should increase, but is unlikely to double."We recognize that AFA funding is probably not sufficient," said the recently appointed minister of the tourism, parks, recreation and culture. "I'm not convinced that doubling is the right number. I need to see what it will accomplish."
Several candidates in the recent provincial leadership race recommended doubling or even tripling the $22-million budget of the province's main arts funder.
On this, Goudreau appears to be suggesting that Alberta's place as Canada's third-most niggardly arts funder per capita (despite our being the richest province in the land) might just be fine and dandy, but, you know, he's just not sure.
Hmm... does he know something all the opposition parties, and several fellow conservative candidates, including the second-place man, for the leadership of his own party, don't? Again, from the Journal:
Hector Goudreau knows farming... His arts background is a little sketchy, but he's a hard-working, sincere man who will figure out what's right, say friends back in northern Alberta.
Well, at least he does know something. Just not anything relevant to his portfolio. Oops. Darn.
This guy is so out of his element, he actually talks in the interview about building "a community hall to encourage our local artists." A community hall? WTF is he talking about? Was he drunk during this interview? From his photo, I must say, it's hard to tell... but from what he says to the Journal:
... You'd be forgiven for wondering. What does that even mean, to call an aboriginal community "second to none"? I'm stumped. And this gem:- On a culture policy
"We've got an aboriginal community in Alberta that's second to none. Support for their particular activities (might be in the policy).
"Some of my best friends are Chinese, and I really enjoy being exposed to their culture."OMG! Did he really use the "Some of my best friends are..." line? Yes, sadly, he did. But, perhaps worst of all...
"Inasmuch as I respect and appreciate art, I don't make it a study,"Well, it's about time you did, Mr. Goudreau... and fast. Ignorance is NOT a virtue. Again, from the Journal, his pals back home come to his defense:
As for the culture portfolio -- "I would say any position he gets he's going to put his 150 per cent into it and he's going to learn whatever he has to," said Gary Doran, an accountant and close neighbour.I'm no accountant, but I'm pretty sure, 150 percent of nothing, is still nothing.
Labels: The Local Scene
posted by MC @ 12:47
7 Comments:
That Tisdale bee looks pretty damned large; could it be Falher is getting a little big for its britches? Or maybe Tisdale's is a WASP. Some of my best friends are people.
Way to add some vehemence to my tempered take on the topic, MC.
Yeah... I'd like to see the Falher and Tisdale bees duke it out (or better yet, team up to defeat Mothra).
Seriously though... one of those Journal pieces notes that his wife "Angeline... sang for three years with the local Northern Lights Encore Choir...", and then, four paragraphs later, mentions "The Goudreaus attend the Northern Lights' Christmas concert every year..."
Wow... now, if only we can get Angeline to join a few more arts groups, Hector just might take an interest in those, too!
Then, the article quotes his neighbor (a cultural expert, no doubt) saying "There's no reason why a rural cabinet minister can't know as much as someone from the city in terms of culture."
Criminy! Nobody would suggest he CAN'T know about culture... the point is that he clearly and admittedly DOESN'T know about culture! He knows about farming... but wait, I suppose, farming's a part of culture, too... Poor guy... he's actually got the biggest, most important portfolio, 'cuz, gee whiz, EVERYTHING is a part of culture, isn't it?
I just read the "AFA funding is probably not sufficient"-linked article by Babiak. I don't often agree with Todd, but I thought the details and tone of that one were exactly right.
I'm glad you noticed... I've enhanced a few links in the post... i feel the same about the Babiak article.
I emailed an abridged version of the post as a "Letter to the Editor" to the Journal... keep your eyes peeled.
I wonder how Alberta Farmers would react if the Minister of Agriculture’s past experience was teaching high school art classes? I suppose if the art teacher's BFF had been to a petting zoo once, then that would be OK.
No doubt, cher bare. How many more ways could we possibly demonstrate the problematic nature of Goudreau's appointment as Minister of Culture?
The only thing he has going for him is that he's no less culturally bereft than his party.
Of course, it all comes down to whether or not his neighbors like the guy. I mean, relevant knowledge and experience are overrated, compared to having the "charm to work with people in that area."
Charmed, I'm sure.
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