Forest Workers: "Give Back ALL the Gaming Money!"


	Forest Workers: “*Give Back ALL* the Gaming Money!**”
				Links: Some important addresses to write to: http://tinyurl.com/ykkc6sh Arts Advocacy BC British Columbians and Canadians Speak Out Against Funding Cuts " Government is gambling with other people's money", The Province "Flex Your Muscles, BC Arts Community", The Tyee "Budget Cut Blues' Played for Politicians", The Tyee "Government cuts steal colour from life" canada.com Article in The Straight including reactions from individual artists Visualize the cuts (CARFAC BC on Facebook) Organizing against Campbell's cuts to the arts (Facebook) Creativity Counts
	Forestry workers Michel Bernier and Jerry Krouzel are mad about what the BC government has done with gaming money. Bernier and Krouzel are currently working on a fuel management and fire protection program near Barkerville Historic Town in BC’s north Cariboo. Both are incensed about the negative impact of the gaming money grab on the hinterland’s culture and economy, because the resource sector provides so much of the province’s revenues. “That money was meant to go to non-profits and the arts ,” says Bernier. “They should give back ALL of it,” noting that although the government returned some gaming money, many non-profit and arts organizations weren’t eligible. “They didn’t say anything about this during last spring’s election.” “Non-profits and arts groups are very important, especially in small communities in the hinterland, but they’re fragile. This funding can make or break them,” said Krouzel. As one local example, gaming money has made up more than 10% of Island Mountain Arts annual budget in Wells. Its Board is now struggling to make up the shortfall or cut its programming. For further information, contact Bill Horne at Amazing Space Studio, Wells, BC 250-994-2332 mazing at claireart dot ca photo by Bill Horne If anyone wants to reproduce this or any other photos in this series, please contact me before doing so. In most cases I am happy to give permission, but out of respect for the people in the photographs, I like to check with them first. Thanks!			You can see more images of Solidarity with the arts from: farming mining small town small businesses vs HST pulp workers hunting Sled dog mushers Train drivers Backhoe drivers Home page of claireart.ca To support the production of this series you can...