Primary Colours

Well, the writ has been dropped and we all go to the polls on May 28^th, 2007. This should make for an interesting few weeks and we’ll be busy trying to keep the arts on the agenda.

One thing for sure is the difference in the level of interest in the Council and our thoughts on the arts. Let’s face it, this will be a battle between the two main parties the Liberals and the Conservatives. Sure the Liberals are raring to go and open to any ideas that might gain a few more votes – as a result their ears are open.

The Council must be non-partisan, and we’ve made efforts to present our plans and ideas to both sides, but, I gotta tell you that there seems to be a difference in how that information is received. Am I seeing “red”, well, let’s just say I’m not seeing much “blue”.

Well, that was nice - Excerpt from Hansard April 26, 2007

Speaker: The hon. Member from Crapaud-Hazel Grove.

Ms. Bertram: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I would also like to extend best wishes to all the students and teachers and their educational systems that are working hard on projects in the various schools across the province. This is a wonderful opportunity to connect the community to arts. Through the foundation and support to the Department of Education, it is providing wonderful opportunities to our children across the province from grade 1 to grade 12.

What’s also important, not only are we looking to the ArtsSmarts program, but we’re also looking towards supporting our initiatives in the schools and into the communities. The community 2006 consultations by the PEI Council of the Arts talks about opportunities for our youth and our communities and in the school system, and the professional nature of the arts and how - there are so many artisans in our various communities, urban and rural, in the province, but they’re getting older. We need to ensure that the next generation is taking on those artistic traits.

I think we need to certainly look at the consultations that the arts council did. Darren White, their executive director, does great work and does certainly - anything will support arts in Prince Edward Island. I hope that the minister will continue to support art opportunities in the schools.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

My brain hurts...

My brain hurts when I think of everything I ought to have posted but didn’t in the flurry of activity as the Council hit year end, the Board considered some proposals to go the membership, my annual performance review (went well, thank you) and, of course, preparations for the annual audit.

At any rate, it’s time to get back on the blog with my miscellaneous notes on this and that. More to come…