"Cowardice asks the question...is it safe? Expediency asks the question...is it politic? Vanity asks the question...is it popular? But conscience asks the question...is it right? And there comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular but one must take it because it is right." ~Dr. Martin Luther King

Tuesday 5 July 2011

Gay Pride...Culture.? ..Art ?

Toronto  provides $130Ks financial support for the festival. Two hundred thousand dollars in policing and street cleaning services.

WOW

But taxpayers may take comfort  from the possibility the organization might have to pay that back.

Yeah Right!     And where would they get the money to pay it back if they didn't have it in the first place.....Maybe former Mayors David Miller and Barbara Hall could help them out.

One thing  may be assumed. The  hand-outs are being scrutinized.

Imagine being so silly as to launch an attack  on the Mayor Of All The People because  he wouldn't walk in their parade. All the while they wouldn't even likely  have a parade, if it wasn't for  the city's .
money.

There are  eerily similar circumstances with the Aurora  Cultural Centre.

Gay Pride claims credit for the creative and artistic environment in Toronto. So Does the Culture Centre in Aurora.

Gay Pride gets $130Ks financial support  and $200Ks in services- in- kind  from the city.

The Culture Centre gets a rent free facility and half a million dollars in financial support  and services in kind from  Aurora .

A Councillor puts forward a Notice of Motion to review the agreement with the Culture Centre. . The Board held  an emergency meeting on a Sunday and deluged the Councillor with hostile comments.  He even received a name- calling abusive call from a Board Director.

Staff at the Centre encourage out-of-town patrons to lobby Council  with supportive e-mails   for continued support; involvement  in  the politics of the matter.

As if there are no rules to follow.

But there are.

They' re not written  down anywhere.

But they're there, Like common sense.

Hidden or not.... In your hiding place...you shall be caught.

8 comments:

Elizabeth Bishenden said...

I think that the "pay back" that the City of Toronto is planning on comes in the form of increased tourist revenues that boost the city's economy.

That increased revenue provides businesses with the money to pay the city taxes.

Hopefully it is enough to justify the city's particpation.

Yes, it does make one look at our own small town and our ability to pay for the special things we want.

Hopefully our Cultural Centre also provides services that pay back to the community.

Anonymous said...

Awesome funeral in Newmarket, helps wipe
the picture of Officer Bubbles. Little boys were
making career decisions while they watched
Canadian expression of respect. It was great
to see people getting out of cars from across
North America and acting like they had been
friends for years. A parking lot full of police
isn't something that most countries would be
comfortable with ...I was so proud of them !

Anonymous said...

Dear Evelyn:

Should Aurora not have its own Gay Pride parade?

What better place for all those in hiding to display themselves, in whatever costume they deem appropriate?

Possibly they could offer to the general public reasons for the great sham behind which they bury themselves - the goddess "Culture."

Culture may mean an infinite number of things to peoples all around the world. "Are you cultured?"
"From what culture do you come?" "Were your parents cultured people or did they work for a living?"

We are justifiably proud of certain "cultures" while others remind us of horrible things.

In ancient Greece we revere much of that foundation culture, while the culture that sprang into being full-blown in Nazi Germany is something that most people would like to wish had never happened.

Why is our Cultural Centre such a cesspool of secrecy? Should the Board and management not be proud to reveal to the entire community the financial responsibility with which they manage the dollars of the lowly taxpayer, and provide published annual reports?

This is a small community and we should all be working in concert for our mutual betterment, not forming little groups that appear to be going about screwing other, often bigger groups.

The sombre funeral procession and service that took place earlier today in Newmarket for Constable Garrett Styles, in which approximately 8,000 police officers took part, from across Canada and from the U.S., is surely a testimonial to the fact that there are some among us who are called to serve, even at the cost of their lives.

If these people can exist in our communities, surely all the little grubs that infest clubby Boards, should fumigate themselves and come out clean, proud and responsible. They might enjoy their lives more.

Anonymous said...

This is really concerning when money was collected since early 1980 for a museum at The Church Street School location.

When the climate controlled rooms were built they were NOT for a cultural center. The RCMP should get involved and investigate the whole mess.

I think the Petch house is also smoke and mirrors.

Anonymous said...

This may not be the best thread to comment abouit this and the subject may rile a few people but....I too have a concern about how tax dollars are thrown around.

My problem is about the huge expense that residents of our town and region have had to make for the funeral of Const. Styles of YRP.

Let me state up front that his service should be acknowledged and I am truly sorry for his young family. However, who ends up paying for 7000+ police, fire and EMS to travel to Newmarket? The rent paid for Ray Twinney? The YRP personnell attending are paid to be there - on duty or not.

It seems that these events get bigger and bigger every time and the cost is bourne by tax payers. A police funeral is a valid thing, but the excessive out of town attendance seems over the top.

Tim the Enchanter said...

Actually, if I understand correctly, the Parade organizers receive the $130K
AFTER the event - if they haven't violated any of the conditions - particularly with respect to the participation of "hate" groups.

Not a bad idea for Aurora either.
If council decides to sponsor or donate (I don't think they should in any case) hold the funds until it is shown the event met the agreed-to conditions.

Anonymous said...

To: Anonymous @ 10:40 AM July 6

Next time you need the police or fire department or EMS may your cell phone's power evaporate!

Let's support emergency services with public money rather than jazz festivals and the like.

Anonymous said...

I have to agree. It is one thing to "support" police. It's quite another for over 7000 police to travel hundreds or thousands of miles on the public's dime to march in a funeral. There are much less expensive ways to honour a cop killed in the line of duty. The cost of this has nothing to do with thw cultural center or Canada Day parade.