Stories about my trip will come, but I thought I'd share some commentary on the Conservative's new budget, first. If you're not interested in that, I recommend you visit my flickr account and look at my photos from the trip and entertain yourself that way.

Below are the post-budget comments from NDP Heritage critic Charlie Angus, reprinted from CAPACOA.

May 3, 2006

BUDGET IGNORES ARTISTS AND THE ARTS: Angus says Conservatives fail their first big test

OTTAWA - NDP Heritage Critic Charlie Angus (Timmins-James Bay) condemned yesterday's budget after Arts and Culture were virtually shutout of new spending and tax reform. The Conservatives, like their Liberal predecessors, failed to provide real security for the future of Arts and Culture in Canada, said Angus following the budget announcement.

"The only reference to arts and culture in the budget today was $50 million over two years to the Canada Council, while we saw absolutely nothing for the CBC, the film and television industry, Canadian museums, or Francophone and First Nations culture."

Even more surprising was the fact that they announced a series of tax cuts, but found no room to introduce income-averaging for those in the arts industry, and no tax credit for parents who enroll their kids in developmentally beneficial arts programs, said Angus.

"We knew that Canadian Heritage wasn't one of the Conservatives' top five priorities, but it's clear now that the Arts aren't a priority for them at all."

Chronic under-funding over the 12 years of majority Liberal governments has left the future of the Arts uncertain in Canada. There was a glimmer of hope in the 18 months of minority parliament where the NDP forced the Liberals to walk the talk of their social spending rhetoric, said Angus on Tuesday.

"The precarious state of Canadian culture after more than a decade of Liberal neglect required a significant reinvestment in artists and in the arts from this budget, but it simply hasn't come. This budget was a litmus test for the Conservative commitment to preserving Canadian Culture; they've failed." Angus concluded "It is now clear that the New Democrats are the only Federal Party committed to working toward a real future for artists and the arts."