As part of the Marquee program, various festivals received larger amounts in funding. There are a number of Marquee festivals and events in Canada and $100m has been allocated over the two years of the program to boost them. As a Tier One festival (i.e. with attendance of more than 250,000) Pride Toronto qualified for 20% of last year’s expenditure budget up to a maximum of $3m. The figure of $397,500 constitutes 20% of the 2008 festival budget and this was the criteria for the program. Significant funds are needed to achieve enhancements that will substantially increase attractiveness to tourists, and all funding was allocated specifically for enhancements that encourage tourism. It was understood from the outset that the program would be managed by Industry Canada.

Pride Toronto is thrilled to have been able to participate in this program and we believe that the recent success of the festival shows that the funding was justified and the expenditure will prove to be worthwhile. As for the issues surrounding Minister Ablonczy, we have no ability to comment on the workings of government. We appreciate the Minister’s time and attention to this issue, and we wish her well at all times.

Pride Toronto in response to MP Brad Trost (C- Saskatoon-Humboldt) at Lifesite News.

“The pro-life and the pro-family community should know and understand that the tourism funding money that went to the gay pride parade in Toronto was not government policy, was not supported by – I think it’s safe to say by a large majority – of the MPs. This was a very isolated decision.”

The Toronto parade is in it’s 29th year. Macleans Magazine looks at the Conservative claims of fund allocation shifting from The Ministry of Small Business and Tourism to Industry. Applications for summer festival funding closed May8th. Diane Ablonczy’s name is still on the applications for Small Business and Tourism.  The Marquee Event Funding Program is part of the January federal economic stimulus package.  The spokesman for Industry Minister Tony Clement now says Ablonczy’s office wasn’t equipped to handle the 100 million dollar program.

David Aiken says out of 12 Conservative MP’s contacted only two would go on record.

“It’s a tourism event, like any other tourism event,” said Calgary Conservative MP Lee Richardson. “It attracts as many people in Toronto as the Molson Indy.”

Dona Cadman, a first-term Conservative MP from Surrey, B.C., said she supports Ms. Ablonczy’s decision.

“I’m proud to see this reaching out to all sectors of the Canadian mosaic,” Cadman said in an e-mailed message.

Charles McVety made an issue out of this two weeks ago.
McVety=Campaign Life=LifeSite

 Diane Ablonczy C- Calgary Nose-Hill

Who is blogging?

Montreal Simon: The Bigot Burning of Diane Ablonczy
Accidental Deliberation: Irresponsible
BigCityLib:  Has Diane Ablonczy Been Demoted For Being Too Gay Friendly?
Canadian Soapbox: Harperites Object to Money Offered Providing Homosexuals Or Bisexuals with Equal Status
Impolitical:  Governing Ugly
Baptist Potluck: Another reason to pray for PM Harper

Liberal Arts and Minds:  Think the Religious Right Has No Voice in Government?
The Galloping Beaver: The Reform Party Long Knives seem to be out
God Keep Our Land: Good on you Brad

Below the fold: The gay, lesbian and bisexual events funded by the federal government including in Brad Trosts area.

Saskatoon Star Phoenix – The Saskatoon Diversity Network received $9,000 from Canadian Heritage this year for last June’s Pride Festival.
David Akin’s On the Hill:

• Recipient: Canadian Lesbian and Gay Archives
  Minister: Hon. James Moore
  Funding received – $175,000.00
  Purpose: Arts in Communities
  Date: 2009-03-26
• Recipient: Vancouver Out on Screen Film and Video Society, Vancouver, British Colombia
  Minister: Hon. Josée Verner
  Funding received: $32,000.00
  Purpose: Project: 20th Anniversary Vancouver Queer Film Festival, Programming
  Date: 2008-2009, March 4, 2008
• Recipient: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transsexual, Transgender Pride Toronto
  Funding received: $21,000.00
  Date: ** Last modified, 2008-02-19
• Recipient: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transsexual, and Transgenderal Pride Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
  Minister: Hon. Josée Verner
  Funding received: $35,000.00
  Purpose: Arts in Community
  Date: 2007-04-23
• Recipient: Inside Out Lesbian & Gay Film Festival Inc. Toronto, Ontario, Canada
  Funding received: $20,000.00
  Purpose: Project: Toronto Lesbian and Gay Film and Video Festival, Programming
  Date: 2008-2009
• Recipient: Winnipeg Gay & Lesbian Film Society Inc, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
  Funding received: 4,000.00
  Purpose: Project: Reel Pride Film Festival, Programming
  Date: 2008-2009
• Recipient: Reelout Arts Project Inc., Kingston, Ontario, Canada
  Funding received: $7,000.00
  Purpose: Project: Reelout Queer Film & Video Festival, Programming
  Date: 2008-2009
• Recipient: Queer City Cinema Inc, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada
  Funding received: $13,000.00
  Purpose: Project: Queer City Cinema 7, Programming
  Date: 2008-2009
• Recipient: Inside Out Lesbian and Gay Film Festival Inc.Funding received – $26,000.00
  Date: 2008-2009 Last modified, 2008-02-19
• Recipient: Darren McAllister, Ontario Canada,
  Minister: Hon. Peter MacKayFunding received – $550.00
  Purpose: To allow Darren McAllister to present his short film “Confessions of a Drag Queen” at the Outfest Gay and Lesbian Film Festival in Los Angeles, California from July 6 to 17, 2006.
  Date: 2006- 2007
• Recipient : Michael Mew, British Columbia, Canada,
  Minister: Hon. Peter MacKayFunding received – $900
  Purpose: To allow Michael Mew to present his short film “Peking Turkey” at the London Gay and Lesbian Film Festival in London, United Kingdom from March 28 to April 6, 2007.
  Date:2006-2007