Thousands attend rally protesting Nova Scotia cuts to arts, tourism

Thousands of people attended a rally against arts funding cuts outside the Nova Scotia Province House.

Thousands of people rallied outside the Nova Scotia Province House in Halifax Wednesday afternoon, protesting proposed cuts to the arts, culture and tourism sectors.

The Nova Scotia Arts Coalition, an advocacy group, said “Culture is Critical” rallies would also be held in Yarmouth, Wolfville, Annapolis Royal, Sydney, Shelburne, New Glasgow, Liverpool, Antigonish and Truro on Wednesday.

Scheduled speakers at the Halifax rally included Mi’kmaw poet Rebecca Thomas, artist Kay Macdonald, NDP Leader Claudia Chender and interim Liberal Leader Iain Rankin.

“Artists, cultural and heritage workers, arts organizers, and their allies will take to the streets in Halifax and around the province this week to resist the Nova Scotia government’s proposed cuts to essential funding to arts, culture, tourism, and heritage sector programs,” a news release from the coalition reads.

Last week, the Progressive Conservative government tabled a $1.2-billion budget that included roughly $130 million in cuts to more than 280 government grants, including arts funding and Mi’kmaw and African Nova Scotian programs.

“Without a swift reversal, these cuts will negatively impact the economy of Nova Scotia through job losses, loss of tourism dollars and cultural activity, and remove one of the strongest draws for new immigrants to the province - our culture,” coalition member Chris O’Neill previously said.

Edgar Award-winning novelist B.M. Myers protested the arts and culture cuts Wednesday, including eliminating the $700,000 publishers assistance program that helped Nova Scotia publishers cover costs around printing, design, marketing and author royalties.

Myers called the cuts “cruel and inept,” saying they silence local voices.

“We are our stories and if we’re not able to tell our stories nobody else will,” said Myers. “The arts our how we express ourselves, it’s our identity and why the world wants to come to Nova Scotia.”

Neptune Theatre artistic director Jeremy Webb called on Premier Tim Houston to come outside and “face the music” and to see the level of disappointment and anger across the arts and culture sector.

“I’m here joining thousand of members of the arts and culture industry to protest these insane, illogical and unexplained cuts,” said Webb, a British-born actor, director and producer who moved to Canada in 1998 and made Halifax home.

The crowd chanted “Bring back the HST, don’t impact our community,” which references Premier Houston’s 2024 campaign promise he made good on, that cut the HST down to 14 per cent, saving the average family around $1,000 per year.

But the HST cut resulted in a loss of $260 million in tax revenues that Webb argues could go towards supporting art and culture sector and reverse the cuts.

“I challenge the premier to actually listen to what is being said and sung while he is inside holding court,” said Webb.

The Nova Scotia Arts Coalition says the $1.2 billion provincial deficit alone doesn’t provide a strong rationale for the arts and culture cuts, arguing the cultural sector supports 14,000 workers across the province.

“It makes no economic sense, we actually contribute way more than we get in every dollar of investment,” said O’Neil, adding every dollar invested in arts and culture grants generate more than $4 in other revenues, according to a Canadian Council for the Arts study.

On Tuesday, hundreds of people attended a “Shoulder to Shoulder” rally outside Province House to call on the government to protect the environment and honour Indigenous rights.

For a collection of photos covering the rally, check our photo gallery.

With files from The Canadian Press

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