Tobacco sponsorship

[Gary Chambers]

CLIP:
>I was listening to CBC last night and the multiplying
>concerns of arts organizations in face of the threatened
>loss of sponsorship if the new anti-smoking legislation
>is passed. (The companies seem to want to use this
>threat as a pressure tactic since the new regs. don't
>prevent their sponsorship, just their advertising that
>accompanies it).

>This would appear to have a potential effect on theatre.
>Should ACTR have a position in the debate? Should the
>organization marshal support for lobbying (one way or
>the other)? Perhaps at least we should be discussing
>this issue (?).

>(Before anyone flames me... I realize CANDRAMA is not
>ACTR, but there is some overlap, and I DO think
>there is correlevance between the two, despite what
>I was told in no-uncertain terms last time I peaked
>my head out of the sand!)

>Cheers

>Glen

Three cheers for Glen.

Give that man a cigar.

I don't think there's anything wrong with discussing
this issue on CANDRAMA or anywhere else.  Nor would I
limit reaction to members of any single arts
organisation.

My own thinking is that the government is being
selfish in its handling of tobacco sponsorship.
It is serving its own frivolous wants, without any
consideration for the pain and suffering it will
cause among the populace.

One of the biggest problems facing Canadians and people
in other parts of the world today is unemployment.  This
problem is bound to be especially acute in the arts,
where workers are often stereotyped as suffering artists,
who can't create anything unless they first starve in
frozen hovels for a few decades.  I have argued on this
list before, that Canada places far too little value on
its art and artists, and so we must fight to protect what
monetary value our arts have.

Granted, tobacco smoking is a health problem.  But this
is hardly an appropriate time to wipe out jobs in the
tobacco industry, or in any industry supported by
tobacco companies.  At last count, 34 unemployed people
froze to death sleeping on the streets of Calgary this
year.  I think that might qualify as a health
risk too, or are we to believe that it's okay
provided the deceased were former tobacco industry
employees, or perhaps stereotypical mad artists.

If our government can contemplate wantonly destroying
a single job in the present economic environment,
without explaining what it intends to do with the
person/people it leaves unemployed, then we are
clearly governed by a band of psychotics who lack
any regard for human life and dignity, let alone
such cerebral issues as the value of art.

I did not join the petition on the CBC cutbacks
because I chose to reserve judgment on that matter,
until we see whether the new increase in low budget
Canadian content results in a flourishing of quality
domestic TV drama, and thereby an increase in
employment for Canadian dramatists. I have my doubts,
but we shall see.

Where this tobacco issue is concerned, however, I am
absolutely convinced that our palsied politicos are
in the grip of a brain rotting dementia.  They are
obsessed.  They seem to think everything that is wrong
with Canada both economically and culturally, would
suddenly turn rosy if only everyone stopped smoking.

What a load of radioactive rubbish.

God save us from these morons.

A pox on their Christmas puddings and pack rat
piddle in their new years grog!

I would gladly join any effort to send a massive
raspberry to our fearless leaders on this subject,
but I'm not a member of ACTR so I guess I'll have
to act alone.  Anyone know an appropriate E-mail
address in Ottawa to which I can wax vitriolic?

...my two cents worth.

Flame away.  I shall retire to enjoy a puff and
a drag, and perhaps a few other heinous vices too,
disgusting creature that I am.

Gary Chambers

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Gary Chambers            e-mail: GCHAMBERS at upanet.uleth.ca
Public Access Internet
The University of Lethbridge