7.19.2006
Let's Talk Steve
My best friend Steve Harper may have decided (reg. req.) to suspend construction of the entirely on-budget Portrait Gallery of Canada, y'know, for accountability purposes or something: "Sources say the gallery is in limbo partly because of competing priorities within Library and Archives Canada... and partly because the Stephen Harper government wants to fulfill its promise to increase accountability."
Hmmm... let's see, sources? The word "sources" seems to appear in many articles regarding Conservative actions, largely because Harper has chosen mostly not to talk to the media. He claims it is "biased," a claim for which he has given basically no evidence, which itself suggests a completely unbiased way of coming to decisions.... The problem with the media having to turn to "sources" is that they include a guy I was talking to on the street last month, an insider who actually knows what she's talking about, and my ass. They slap a legitimate sounding label on what is basically an unstructured shot in the dark.
So then back to the Portrait Gallery: the whole thing is a bit of a mystery. Amidst the supporters' misty speculations of relocation and/or cancellation, I'd actually really like to hear why Harper wouldn't fully support such a project. Even better, what would be so bad about a more open debate on ideologies, rather than sneaky, behind-the-scenes politicking and the theatrical posturing that goes on over these hot items? What does the PGC symbolize? According to the PGC website, "The Portrait Gallery of Canada will focus on portraits of people from all walks of life who have contributed and who continue to contribute to the development of Canada." Perhaps the PM is concerned that the gallery would provide a bias towards promoting an inclusive and explicitly Canadian brand of culture. Or perhaps not. Wait, I'll consult my sources and let you know (Ryan shakes magic 8 ball).
Speaking of balls, if I could ask Harper one question, it would be "why does your head look like a teeny tiny face painted on an enormous pink medicine ball?"
