THANK GOODNESS FOR SCARED, MINORITY, LIBERAL GOVERNMENT!
Globeandmail.com

City to be named a cultural capital of Canada

By JAMES ADAMS

UPDATED AT 12:05 AM EST Thursday, Jan 27, 2005

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The federal government plans to name Toronto a "cultural capital of Canada" and give the city $500,000 for that designation, effective this September through August, 2006.

Heritage Minister Liza Frulla was to have made the announcement tomorrow at City Hall, but she was forced yesterday to cancel her appearance to prepare for an emergency visit to Paris, civic officials said. No new date for the announcement has been scheduled, a spokesman in her Ottawa office said.

Last September, Mayor David Miller announced that in 2006 the city would celebrate a yearlong festival of the arts, pegged to the expected completion of new buildings for the Canadian Opera Company, the Royal Ontario Museum and the Gardiner Museum of Ceramic Art.

"In addition to drawing people out to the galleries and theatres, we plan to bring free and affordable artistic activities to the people of Toronto -- in neighbourhoods all over the city, in parks, squares and other public places. We want to engage as many partners as possible in this massive event, so that all Torontonians get a taste of the rich diversity of creative expression that exists here," Mr. Miller said when he announced the event.

The mayor also spoke of the importance of arts in Toronto.

"Our artistic community gives . . . a vibrancy that makes our city more appealing to businesses and individuals who choose to locate here. On a more personal level, our artists keep our minds active, nourish our spirit, and help give our city its soul. Artists make us rich in every sense of the word," Mr. Miller said.

The federal money comes from a program announced by the Liberals in 2002 that supports "special activities" in municipalities "harnessing the many benefits of arts and culture."

The federal government has already provided a total of $57.5-million toward construction of the three buildings under way in Toronto.

The Canadian Opera Company revealed this month that it has raised $133-million for its Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, under construction on Queen Street West.

The announcement shows the COC's fundraising success taking the company nearly three-quarters of the way toward its $181-million goal for the opera house. There had been fears that the COC might be hard pressed to pay for its new building when the Art Gallery of Ontario, Royal Ontario Museum and Royal Conservatory of Music are all involved in construction projects.

The season planned for 2005-2006 includes the third instalment in the COC's continuing production of Wagner's Ring cycle, as well as new productions of Verdi's Macbeth, Bizet's Carmen and Handel's Rodelinda. The COC will also reprise its own productions of Bellini's Norma and Berg's Wozzeck.

The ROM's 174,000-square-foot (16,000-square-metre) renovated space is due to open in December. It will house six new galleries: Dinosaurs; Early Mammals; Africa, Pacifica and the Americas; West and South Asia; Textiles; and Contemporary Culture. An 18,000-square-foot (1,600-square-metre) exhibition hall will be created beneath the new Bloor Street entrance lobby.

The Royal Conservatory of Music's Telus Centre for Performance and Learning is slated to open next year. The new facilities will include a 1,000-seat concert hall, a new media and broadcast centre, fully wired practice and teaching studios and a comprehensive music library.

Bell Globemedia
© 2005 Bell Globemedia Publishing Inc. All Rights Reserved.

"THANK GOODNESS FOR SCARED, MINORITY, LIBERAL GOVERNMENT!"

Cause you know sure as shit that the Conservatives would neve have given money like this, right Arby? Not to culture, no way.

So you are thanking the liberals. I guess that means you secretly like them.

Wow that's the most money the Fed's have ever given to Toronto!

I won't hold my breath till I see that cheque!!

WTF.. So it's only for 1 year? Idiotic.

The $500,000 will probably be enough to cover some of the GST on various 2005 purchases.

Well, Montreal should - in the eyes of any Liberal - truly be Canada's cultural capital! So, you know, ''eyes on Quebec' and "eyes on Montreal."

Well, Montreal should - in the eyes of any Liberal - truly be Canada's cultural capital! So, you know, ''eyes on Quebec' and "eyes on Montreal."

And I guess Calgary should - in the eyes of any Conservative - truly be Canada's cultural capital?

lol

And I guess any 905 city should - in the eyes of any Are Be - truly be Canada's cultural capital?

Hey, after all, the Four Seasons Center is "Brampton Chic
Mind you, I blame the feds for this.

Re 905: they pay even more to the feds than 416 does. All of those visible minorities, many of whom cannot afford to live in - heck, even smaller - homes in 416 would rather live in 416 if they had the money.

All of you who attack 905: I don't see you raising funds to help these people locate in 416. If it means so much to you, why don't you come up with the half a million bucks so that you can relocate a family from Brampton to the Annex? Stop preaching about the benfits of raising a family in 416 and come up with the cash!

In any event, Toronto's designation as Canada's cultural capital ought to be permanent, not a one -off, then back to Montreal (where most cabinet ministers, no doubt, think it belongs.)

Feb. 10, 2005. 06:19 AM
NORMAN JAMES/TORONTO STAR FILE PHOTO
Toronto City Hall was brand spanking new when this photograph was taken on June 16, 1965. The city is planning a 40th birthday party this year for the innovative building, using half of the $500,000 it is getting from the federal government to promote culture in the city.
Federal funds hardly the boost we need
Toronto knighted a cultural capital

MARTIN KNELMAN

Toronto may not quite have caught up to London, Paris and New York as international cultural meccas, but let's take one thing at a time.

We're being officially designated by the federal government as one of Canada's cultural capitals for 2005. That means Toronto has earned recognition (try to contain your excitement) as creatively on a par with Victoria, B.C., and Annapolis Royal, N.S., not to mention previous winners, such as Regina.

Tomorrow, federal heritage minister Liza Frulla is flying here from Ottawa to celebrate this great honour — and present a $500,000 cheque — with prominent members of Toronto's cultural community. Mayor David Miller will be on hand to express his deep gratitude.

The festivities will take place at the St. Lawrence Centre, after other potential venues (including City Hall, the Carlu and the Art Gallery of Ontario) were ruled out. All the participants will be on their best behaviour, and no one will mention the obvious: You can't become much of a cultural capital on $500,000.

Can we be frank? This is hardly a reason for Toronto to throw its collective hat in the air and honk its horn on Yonge St. as if the Leafs had won the Stanley Cup.

The Culture Capital designation is part of the recently renewed Tomorrow Starts Today program, designed to shower money on the arts. In fact, there are three kinds of winners. This year, one large city was chosen for the honour, one medium size city, Victoria, which also gets $500,00, and three cities so small you might call them towns: Algonquins of Pikwakanagan, Ont., Annapolis Royal, N.S. and Saint-Jean-Port-Joli, Que., will each get $250,000.

The point of the program is to highlight past achievements that demonstrate a commitment to arts and culture. The funds enable recipients to hold special events celebrating arts and culture.

Toronto will use part of the money to celebrate the 40th anniversary of its magnificent City Hall in September and hold the rest of the funds for a series of arts celebrations in 2006, called Year of Creativity.

To be fair, it should be noted that the City of Toronto applied for this award, and city officials are pleased to receive it — on the grounds that something is better than nothing. (The only other applicant in the category of large cities was Halifax.)

But what if Ottawa were to embrace the notion that Canada desperately needs a cultural capital able to compete with European and U.S. cultural centres, and came to the conclusion there is only one city in Canada that can realistically aspire to achieve that goal — Toronto?

That is unlikely to happen, for political reasons. If it did, perhaps the rest of Canada would loathe and resent Toronto even more than, according to a recent Star survey, it already does.

But imagine what could happen if the Prime Minister read a book by Richard Florida and came to the conclusion that Canada needs Toronto to work as a cultural capital, not only because the arts enrich our quality of life, but because the economic future of the country may depend on it. With a huge budget surplus, this is a luxury he can afford.

Suppose he decided to enshrine Toronto as the country's cultural capital, not just for 2005, but for always? Suppose he allocated, let's say, an extra $25 million a year, every year, to help Toronto live up to its designated title?

He could start by providing a reasonable level of operating funds to the Canadian Opera Company and the National Ballet of Canada, two of this country's cultural jewels that happen to call Toronto home.

He could find a way to push Toronto's waterfront forward (after decades of delays) with two or three major cultural projects.

He'd certainly waste no time in offering funds for the Toronto International Film Festival's dreamed-of permanent home at King and John Sts., acknowledging how lucky Canada is to have one of the world's top film festivals.

And he would even risk the political fallout of giving Toronto special status — official recognition that this town has to be a cultural capital in a way that, with all due respect, Regina, Victoria and Annapolis Royal never will be.

It would be nice. But for now, let's take the $500,000 and say, "Thanks, Ottawa, we really appreciate your vision and generosity."

mknelma@thestar.ca

Additional articles by Martin Knelman

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^ what a great article (lol). "embrace the notion that Canada desperately needs a cultural capital able to compete with European and U.S. cultural centres, and came to the conclusion there is only one city in Canada that can realistically aspire to achieve that goal — Toronto".

The entire country is multicultural, and recognized as such in the Multiculturalism Act...I don't think I've ever seen an "official" designation of European and US cities as "cultural centres" - they just are! And TO is as well!!

To dub TO the "official" cultural capital ignores all the hard work EVERY other city in Canada has done to become "cultured"....and in that regard, we are far ahead of American cities in the various size categories (such as Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton)...it ignores other Canadian cities contributions, such as Montreal's succcessful "Cirque du Soleil", or Winnipeg's successful Winnipeg Ballet.

Anyhow - "Culture" is a very vague term in my opinion...most assuming that means variey of ethnic cultures, arts and theatre - and we often forget our own heritage and culture (may be unique to western society, or Canada itself).

Besides, to achieve that designation in Canada, I think Ontario would have to first make French an official language for the province, as our country is...so far, only NB can claim that.

City to be named a cultural capital of Canada

Heh, Toronto is the NYC of Canada.

Heh, Toronto is the NYC of Canada.

No - Toronto is the...ummm, the Toronto of Canada. NYC is something completely different.

^ ^Correct :yes:

Toronto deserves this anyway. About bloody time too.

Not because I live and love Montreal, but I would consider Montreal as the true Canadian cultural capital.

Why?

Because they think the source of all culture lies in smoked meat and bagels.

Com'on...you need to be reminded how elitist french Canadians are?






KGB

Well I kind of am one myself. My grandfather was french Canadian, and I have a french last name...but yeah I know what you mean, the whole "but we're so European" thing.

Because they think the source of all culture lies in smoked meat and bagels.

Com'on...you need to be reminded how elitist french Canadians are?






KGB
I think you're confusing Montreal and Jewish culture. Sure, Jews had a strong presence in Montreal, but poutine is the true Montreal food staple.

"I think you're confusing Montreal and Jewish culture."


Maybe...Montreal always did seem like a circumsized city.





KGB

Com'on...you need to be reminded how elitist french Canadians are?

the guy's filipino. but then again, i know you already think that every single person in montreal is "french canadian"...

oh boy, I don't like where this post may be going, i'm oughta here

I love Toronto and think it is the nations greates city, with Montreal a close second.
The reality is, is that Toronto is THE cultural capitol of Canada and in EnglishCanada it has no competion, its a near total monopoly.
Toronto is "downtown Canada".

Victoria is serving host for 2005 Cultural Capital of Canada. Be nice to see it in Toronto for 2006.

I love Toronto and think it is the nations greates city, with Montreal a close second.
The reality is, is that Toronto is THE cultural capitol of Canada and in EnglishCanada it has no competion, its a near total monopoly.
Toronto is "downtown Canada".

Toronto is the largest city of Canada and envious to claim all the titles.

We will just put in this way....

Toronto is the cultural capital of English Canada while
Montreal is the cultural capital of French Canada

YEAH! We are getting $500,000!!! :rock:

^^^
Yeah, I don't see what's so great about this title anyways.

As if $500,000 is worth fighting for with Montreal.