Quebec artists have creatively drawn attention to the Harper government’s cuts to arts and culture funding.
A group, led by singer Michel Rivard, released a YouTube video titled “Culture en peril” (Culture in Danger). It’s a satirical take on the Conservative cuts, and it has been viewed more than 250,000 times since it was uploaded late Sep 18.
The fictional video follows Rivard as he visits a government committee in charge of arts funding. Language gaps and cultural misunderstandings abound, and the committee tackles Rivard with questions about his lyrics. They are outraged when he sings about a “phoque” (the word for seal in French), which they hear as “fuck.” The committee even asks Rivard if he’s a “homosexual,” and then they dismiss him without approving his funding.
The video ends with a quote from the Conference Board of Canada: “Every dollar invested in the cultural industry brings 11 times more in direct or indirect benefits.”
Check it out below, or watch the version with English subtitles here.
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