From the East Coast Music Awards in Fredericton...

Elizabeth May
The East Coast Music Awards profile some of the most talented performers in the country. I have been lucky to have a lot of friends in the local music scene with zero musical talent myself! Dave Gunning was wonderful this summer speaking out against herbicide spraying. (For those of you who do not know him, he is a terrific folk/country singer from Pictou County and he won two ECMAs!) Mary Jane Lamond helped us win the fight to keep in shore oil drilling away from our shores. Quite often artists support the environment! And environmentalists support the arts.

Check out Vision Green for our party's commitment to arts. It is not a frill. And it is more than adequate funding to CBC and the Canada Arts Council. (although those institutions need more support too) Supporting the music industry, film making, live theatre, dance and graphic arts are all aspects of healthy and engaged communities, and it happens to be an area of sustainable economic activity. The booming East Coast music scene supports recording studios, annual festivals from the New Glasgow Music Jubilee to Celtic Colours and to the Stan Rogers Festival. They bring people to the area as tourists. They promote sales of culturally significant work. We need to promote and support the arts!
Elizabeth May and Dave Gunning
Elizabeth May and Dave Gunning

Elizabeth May, Jian Gomeshi and Nathan Wylie

Elizabeth May and Mary Jane Lammond

Elizabeth May and Jimmy Rankin

Elizabeth May, Dave Gunning and Scott McMillan