It’s obvious the Canadian government feels strongly about protecting Canadian culture. One only has to glance at the numerous areas of legislation that protect, fund or otherwise enhance cultural industries in the country. What is not so obvious is if Canadians share this abundant enthusiasm.
The question that government seems to have forgotten to ask the people is: whether or not they want to see their tax dollars spent on protecting a culture that they can’t even define?
Whatever the issue — handing over funds to book publishers, regulating what is broadcast on television and radio or calling Canadian businesses who advertise in split-run American magazines criminals —this government seems to have no problem with shoving our culture down our throats.
Most western nations have rejected the archaic notion of protectionism when it comes to the economy, yet Canada still heartily embraces the idea when it comes to culture. We must spend money in order to prevent the unthinkable from happening: being swamped by the cultural giant that lies just south of us.
If you asked most Canadians whether they felt it was important to protect their culture, they might very well say yes. If you gave them an option between using money to protect it, or pouring that same money into health care, I’m willing to wager the answer would lean heavily to the latter.
The Department of Heritage plans to spend slightly more than $1.4 billion in the fiscal year 1998-99. That may seem like peanuts when compared to the $155-billion operating budget of the federal government. But when you think about it, that’s $1.4 billion more that could be spent on much-needed health care funding, or given back to Canadians as tax cuts to help boost the economy. Instead, the government has decided in its infinite wisdom to spend our money on protecting a culture which Canadians don’t necessarily want protected, or at least not if it requires our tax dollars anyhow.
When you look at Canadian priorities for government spending, you would be hard-pressed to find culture in the top 10. Canadians are concerned with more realistic priorities like getting jobs and putting their kids through school.
It’s unlikely the federal government is going to run out and unilaterally revoke Heritage’s funding, but if it really wanted to get its fiscal house in order, and move its priorities closer to those of Canadians, it’s an option they should definitely consider.
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