Harper stand-in calls artists tax cheats – in front of GG’s winners

Eric Peterson walks out of House in protest over James Moore’s "incredibly insensitive remark."

by Samantha Bayard

OTTAWA May 30, 2013 (Straight Goods News) – With Governor General Performing
Arts Award winners sitting in the Gallery, heritage minister James Moore,
standing in for his again-absent leader Stephen Harper picked a poor time to slag artists.

Responding to a question from NDP house leader Nathan Cullen about who in the
Prime Minister's Office had been contacted by police regarding the Nigel Wright/Mike
Duffy affair, Moore went on the the offensive, scorning NDP MP and former actor Tyrone
Benskin, who, it was revealed this week, owes back taxes. "His first and only act in this
Parliament legislatively is to try to pass a bill to absolve himself of his own tax liability.
That is NDP corruption." Moore went on to praise his government's arts funding record.  

He said the NDP is, "Pretending to stand up for artists when all they are doing is standing up for their right to avoid paying taxes."

Even Liberal Bob Rae was so astonished, he chastized Moore in the House. "I thought the attack by the minister… was one of the nastiest attacks on an individual in the House that I have seen in my time."

Canadian acting icon Eric Perterson of Corner Gas fame, who is receiving an award
for lifetime achievement this year, walked out of Question Period because he was offended by Moore’s comments, which he described as disdainful and insensitive towards artists.

"I was led to believe I was to be introduced in the House of Commons to be
congratulated for what I'd done, instead of sitting there to be insulted by this incredibly
insensitive remark about artists in general and about a particular artist and colleague of mine in particular."

Eric Peterson says he walked out on the House of Commons after hearing artists insulted.

 

© Copyright 2013 Samantha Bayard, All rights Reserved. Written For: StraightGoods.ca