This information is from an official in the Department in response to a query. It will be interesting to see how long the Minister will spend on the review.

Christine: Good question – This federal government website says that details will be released at the end of summer 2010. As there is a snowstorm outside my window and the year is no longer 2010, we can assume that this information is incorrect. The minor scandal attached to this fact is that this money is being touted by the Conservative government as one of the successful initiatives created by stimulus spending. Really? That’s funny – cause it looks like 2 years after it was announced – not a single dime has gone into the economy from this program. I remember reading somewhere (in the Globe and Mail maybe?) that new details would be forthcoming soon.

Brandon: Yeah I agree that the arts are too often siloized as an issue unconnected to the other elements of society that citizens (yes “citizens” not “taxpayers”), interact with. Arts funding is important. So is transit, shelters, affordable housing, safe bike lanes, road work, waste removal, and community centers. I worry this administration wants to pit these groups against one another so we don’t emphasize this together, consistently, with mind-numbing repetition. Cause that would be a problem.

As for the discussion disappearing – I doubt it could be more hidden away and inaccessible than it was previous to recent events, so there’s really nowhere to go but up.

Thanks to everyone else for reinforcing that this is a conversation that should be happening with greater transparency.

the link to the CCA in your post says that there was an advisory panel of experts (Joseph L. Rotman, Simon Brault, Tony Gagliano, Liza Maheu, and Jennifer Clarke) that was supposed to generate a series of recommendations and options regarding the Canada Prizes. The group was supposed present a final report to the government during this past summer. Any idea what happened with that?

I also worry that this whole business means we’re going to hear a lot less from him in the public sphere, and that the conversation will stay among the Toronto arts elites.

If political czars made any difference whatsoever, William Bennett would have single-handedly won the war on drugs ages ago.

That being said, I look forward to more amusing gaffs from Mr Melanson. (insert massive eye roll here)