Thursday, April 10, 2008

Censor This Polley!

First of all, I have no idea who Polley is, but from the comments at CTV it seems she's a NDP shrill, and has no clue what censorship means.

Allison Hyatt
• Sarah Polley's statements on the legislation are false. She supported that provision when the bill was introduced by the Liberals in 2003.

• Sarah Polley should be honest and admit that her partisan reasons are the real motivation behind this opposition.

• This provision was introduced in 2003 by the Liberal Party. Why didn't Sarah Polley mention her concerns then? In 2001, a discussion paper was sent to over 35 industry stakeholders on the provisions contained in this bill –Sarah Polley can't hide the fact that she was aware of it. Why is she opposing it now?

• Perhaps she was too busy participating in the "Stop Harper" campaign to pay attention to this provision. Or, perhaps it's her own personal political agenda that takes precedence, and no doubt risks her losing all credibility.

------------------
Roadrobber
Polly is starting to sound like a politician with a sense of entitlement to our taxdollars. This is the same Polly who thinks movie theatres should be required by law to show a certain percentage of Canadian made films.

----------------------
So I googled her name and sure enough, she's a NDP shrill.

Political activism

Following the row with Disney, Polley dedicated more of her efforts to progressive politics, becoming a prominent member of the New Democratic Party, where Ontario legislator Peter Kormos was said to be her political mentor.

In 1995, she lost two back teeth after being struck by a riot police officer during a protest against the Provincial Progressive Conservative government of Mike Harris in Queen's Park, Toronto.[6][7] She was subsequently involved with the Ontario Coalition Against Poverty.[6] She has recently scaled back on her political activism.[citation needed]

In 2003, she was part of newly-elected Toronto mayor David Miller's transition advisory team.


The problem here is that because she's in the film industry, her views are biased, and she doesn't want to be cut off from the trough.

Censor this Polley, you are a NDP shrill who thinks your opinion counts for something, it doesn't. Just read the comments, most people agree with the governments stance on this one. Deal with it!

I disagree with funding any arts. They can stand or fall on their own, like any business. When my boys were little we gladly paid to go to the museum, the zoo, Fort Edmonton Park, and Heritage days, to name a few.

That is different from funding a movie, the movie industry is a huge money maker, if you can't make money, your product is not necessary, it's supply and demand, plain and simple. Why are the "arts" any different than any other industry? Shrills like Polley make us think they are supporting Canadian culture. Not true, we are supporting artists with our tax dollars who can't make it on their own. Enough is enough.

We have never been to the Fringe, but it pays for itself because many people go and enjoy it. That's the way it should be, support the arts with your dollars, if you think it's worthwhile. Do not expect me to fund a film with my tax dollars, if I disagree with it's content. Produce it if you want, but not on my dime.

Censor this Polley, censorship means not allowing your film to be produced or shown. Polley, are you standing up in support of Fitna by the way? Crickets...

Like the lefties who visited my blog the other day, and blasted me for stating that the government doesn't appear to help fund school trips to Quebec for bi-lingualism, yet billions are spent on it. The government should not fund films just to support Canadian artists. I bet they agree with me on this one too. HA.

Don't even get me started on the whole CBC thing and the billion a year we taxpayers are forced to spend on that lefty organization.

This blog receives no government funds or handouts.

14 comments:

Ardvark said...

She should have to claim all of the 'advertising' time she received on this from the MSM on her taxes as a donation to the NDP.

That way she could get one of those tax credits that so many are screaming about.

Anonymous said...

Sarah Polley is one of Canada's finest actors and film makers. Years ago, you may have seen her in "The Road to Avonlea".
In London, all of the country's national museums are free to the public. Those who could not otherwise afford to visit are able to offer their children the same experience as those who may have more money.
Surely access to one's culture should not be limited to the size of your paycheque.
It should be noted that "the arts" are not businesses. Perhaps you cannot fathom the value of anything beyond your narrow worldview (have you ever left Alberta, it's a big world?)But many of us are more than willing to subsidize artistic endeavour through our taxes and otherwise.
To understand the cultural value of art, one need only visit Europe. Save some money, cut back on the fast food, computer games and other consumer rubbish and hop on a plane somewhere.
The reality is, governments will continue to use our money to ensure the success of our artists. The Harper current govt is a blip on the map. You should remember that Canada has been governed by Liberal govts for most of it's history. This is reassuring for most of us.
ps. hockey isn't art, it's a game. There's a difference.

Anonymous said...

'But many of us are more than willing to subsidize artistic endeavour through our taxes and otherwise.'

Fine - you make it "otherwise" because I do not want to subsidize through my taxes. If a production cannot stand without government funding, then I would suggest that the patrons of such "arts" open their own pocketbooks and bail it out.
I would submit by your reasoning, that you are also an ardent supporter of the CBC, but do you "support" PBS?

Anonymous said...

Anon @ 12:39

European art was heavily subsidized by the rich and the Church, not the state (apart now from the cost of upkeep).

As an ardent leftist cultural proponent, tell us why does the government need to tax the rich into poverty and become the new church to fund your deviant dreams?

Seriously, why do ALL canadians have to fund your fantasies. It already is forced to fund that activist outfit called the CBC!

The funding system is a rigged system. It should be scrapped altogether.

Then you could make whatever you want, you can do it on your own dime!

Consumer choice, like taste in art is personal. Bash it all you want, but again DONT FORCE US ALL TO PAY FOR IT.

Anonymous said...

Wow, Hunter - you have hit the big time.

12:39 anonymous is certainly a higher calibre of commenter than you usually get here,don't you agree. I mean, they are so world travelled and so supportive of the arts. I am in awe! And the fact that they have actually decided to comment on your right wing blog is a real coup!

Unfortunately, I have a couple of things that, if they will permit me, I would like to add to the comment.

"Surely access to one's culture should not be limited to the size of your paycheque"

Well I for one do not want to use my hard earned pay to support pornographic TV like KINK, or movies made by Canadians that use foul language in every second sentence.

Anonymous mentioned museums - somehow, I don't think that the government is cutting off funding to museums, except if they are going to display someone's poo, or a series of dead rabbits hanging in the forest.

That is the problem with snob..um anonymous commenters - they have never lived in the real world, they have no idea what it is like to work hard for a paycheque - give 40% to various levels of government and then see some of that money given to someone who calls themselves an artist and then hangs dead rabbits in the woods.

But then anony probably watches CBC too.

Congratulations on the calibre of the commenters again, Hunter!

Anonymous said...

I really think that the Communist Broadcorping Castration should give part of it's grant to the artists. It considers itself the nursery of Canadian performing arts so it follows that they should nuture them as well.

It seems that only about 7% of the population has an equivalent appreciation of art as them. The other 93% a much higher appreciation than them.

The CBC would be supporting the artistic level that they consider acceptable to Canadians. Thus, the 97% would then not be required to further support another inferior product.

hunter said...

Alberta Girl, at least I didn't have to remove anon 12:39 for swearing, so they really are a step up in calibre!

And yes anon 12:39, I have been outside of Canada, just not Europe yet. I would love to go, but with relatives in PEI to visit (more expensive to fly there than Europe) my paycheque can't stretch that far.

Hey, maybe I can get funding to fly to PEI and film lobsters cooking! I'd even be willing to have it shown on TV.

Now, everyone play nice. I'm off to work, but will leave the comments open knowing you will not abuse my one rule, no swearing.

Reid said...

Sarah Polley: proud member of the "Stop Harper" campaign of '04.

That's all you need to know about her motives.

Anonymous said...

CTV has a poll:http://www.ctv.ca/news
Sarah Polley's criticism of Bill C-10 as amounting to 'censorship' is:
Right on 2582 votes (50 %)
Extreme 2566 votes (50 %)

Total Votes: 5148

caz said...

I learned yesterday for the first time that the funding to the arts is 100% provided by the taxpayers. I was under the impression that they were carrying some of the financial burden as well but alas no... Sarah Polley may be an artist and a promising film maker but she's also very arrogant and presumptuous to assume that her views are supported by the vast majority of Canadians. I suspect if more people knew we were footing the whole bill, they might think differently about giving them carte blanche to produce anything they deem to be necessary to our culture and the development of our consciousness. I don't need their help thank you very much! As far as the Conservative party being only a blip on the Canadian radar....wait...had to pick myself off the floor I was laughing so hard..dream on Anon..

Anonymous said...

I must live a very isolated life because I have no idea who
polley is and what's more I don't care. There were only two Canadian shows CBC produced that I watched with any regularity, Don Messer & Tommy Hunter. I have tried to watch some of the other productions but they are either so preachy or so hokey I change channels out of anger or embarrassment. I would dearly love for all gvt. funding be cut from the film arts if for no other reason that it might improve the product.

Platty said...

You should remember that Canada has been governed by Liberal govts for most of it's history. This is reassuring for most of us.

You keep thinking that anon, the rest of us will continue on in the real world, where the Conservative Party of Canada is taking care of business, in a manner that is very reassuring for all of us.



---

Bismark said...

You do realize that "the arts" contribute vastly more to the economies of local communities than they ever cost the government, don't you? You need to think of it as an investment, not a hand-out. I would think even so-called "Conservatives" could put aside their narrow-minded Philistine prejudices to at least appreciate it on that level.

Anonymous said...

You do realize that "the arts" contribute vastly more to the economies of local communities than they ever cost the government, don't you?

Are you kidding? Hunter doesn't even know what day it is. She certainly doesn't seem to know that the cultural institutions and events she took her little boys to receive government money as straight-up hand-outs, not just tax breaks.

Let's put her in charge of culture. We'd be lucky to get the stolen intellectual property..er, cartoon...she's posted on her blog.

By the way, Hunter, the word is "shill." Maybe you need to finish high school before you think of having any more kids?