Sunday, July 01, 2007

Show Me The Money

On a day when we celebrate the federation, the regional inequalities are on full display:
If today's Canada Day parties seem a bit more festive in Quebec, thank the federal government.

More than half of all federal "Celebrate Canada" funding is directed to Quebec-based events, government records show.

The Department of Canadian Heritage says Quebec receives a proportionately larger share of money for holiday celebrations because its provincial government doesn't fund Canada Day events.

Why doesn't the Quebec legislature fund Canada Day celebrations? Last time I checked, Quebec is still part of Canada, so why the omission? Are the optics so bad in Quebec that funding Canada Day is politically undesirable? What a crock, particularly when you see things like the federal government spending 2/3 of the money for the Quebec City celebrations.

There's a thing about give and take, it balances and creates a fair environment. Someone explain the current give, all I see is the take and I find that disappointing. Sure, we will wave the flag, but we're not paying for it, you foot the bill. Nice.

5 comments:

Karen said...

That is odd Steve, but based on this article, one wonders where the money went?

Happy Canada Day to you!

Tomm said...

Steve,

Good catch. So if where I live, we quit supporting Canada Day, the Federal government would come swooping in to save the weekend?

Tomm

Steve V said...

Happy Canada Day! Leave it to me to post a negative story :)

Karen said...

Nawww, you didn't do that. I hope you and your family had a good one!

Steve V said...

You too knb :)