Strange Places

doomed under 5000

Posted by Daniela Elza on Mar 15 2009

Rob Taylor from spread it like a roll of nickles has written an open letter to James Moore, Minister of Cultural Heritage and Official Languages regarding the proposed funding changes that will stop funding magazines with a circulation under 5000.

Enjoy the letter, funny and provocative. Join the movement. I propose that every magazine, that will be affected, send James Moore a copy of what will be lost if those changes are put in effect. Hopefully, he will have a pile big enough, arresting enough, to reconsider. Maybe he will even crack the covers and actually read some. There is nothing in James Moore’s bio to suggest he has a literary bone in his body. I was looking for evidence that he has rubbed shoulders with literary activity. Between studying economics, business administration, and poitical science, was there some room for literature? It makes me shudder when I think these are the people who take decisions or speak on behalf of the literary side of life.

I suspect the magazines under 5000 already run on way too much volunteer time. Which to me seems to suggest that there is a need to pay attention to people who dedicate their free time to causes they find worthy. The economy may be tanking, but does our spirit have to tank with it? And besides I do not think it is a good idea to mess around with people who create things out of “nothing”. See, they have nothing much to loose. And we know what that can lead to.

In this vein, I would like to also mention another attempt at educating officials with a blue hue and this one was spearheaded by Yann Martel. He just sent Steven Harper his 50th book, now coming up (in April) on his two year aniversary of sharing books with Harper. Admirable undertaking, exemplary citizenship. I am just worried that there has not been much of a response from Harper. Is he reading? Is he keeping the books. Are they in a place that others can browse through and/or borrow? Are they ordering some new shelves?

So, like Rob, whose letter is probing the possibilities of a post literary magazine era, we may all be sending our poems to these government offices to be published in political rags. Rejections then will be even more painful coming from people who as in this latest case are missing the point.