letter to Prime Minister sent August 12 2009

To: Right Honourable Stephen Harper
James Moore, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages
Re: Government funding cutbacks to magazines with circulation of less than
5000

Dear Sirs
I wish to convey my deep disagreement with this policy of cutting funding to
small magazines. Magazines are a consistent and flowing representation of
ideas & culture, and an effective way to share ideas in an affordable and
almost democratic format (because they are relatively inexpensive, mostly
widely available and made up of writings from established as well as new
voices).
I believe that a rich culture involves including
voices from all corners of the country. By your policy, effectively killing
off magazines that appeal to the 'minority',
you effectively silence the voice of that minority. It is precisely
those magazines that need funding, because
they don't appeal to advertisers with deep pockets (who would often censor
editorial content).

Do you realize that virtually every literary magazine in this country
will disappear as a result
of your policy? Once again the conservative government has shown that the
only voice that has any credibility is the voice of the mainstream and the
voice of the corporation, mass media conglomerates that fit in with your
cultural ideals. Almost all evolution of culture since Ancient Greece
started with writings from new fringe voices, and you are silencing these
voices. This is not progress.

A homogeneous culture is not the cultural aim for most Canadians, and
by pandering to the circulation numbers you effectively make it the
policy of our government to legitimize the majority and
de-legitimize minority viewpoints. This is bordering on cultural censorship
in my viewpoint

I want you to know for the record that I did NOT vote for this
Heather Parsons
Calgary AB T2T0G7