More McVety and the Stank of Taint

There's a peculiar notion that exists, in certain elements of our society, that the arts sector is populated by lazy folk that leech off the public teat and contribute nothing but discord and prurience. You don't have to look too far to find the creatures that feed off this sort of nonsense. They are recognized by their smug and righteous piety. They cling to their book and brandish it like a cudgel as they seek to suppress and oppress those whose lifestyles they view with disapproval. We are the "Hollywood" types, with Hollywood being shorthand for all that they have contempt for, be it promiscuity, homosexuality, hedonism or the simple galling ability to presume to create. I speak of the reprehensible characters that are infected by the disease of fundamentalism, creatures like Dr. Charles McVety and Minister of Public Safety Stockwell Day. Never mind that they wear the faces of social acceptability, a turd in a Tiffany box is still a turd. They are perfectly willing to denigrate artists and the arts sector with character profiling, little different from that which makes driving while black such a hazard.

Let me be perfectly clear, McVety and his ilk have declared war. And since all's fair and this ain't love, let's give them a fight. Canada Christian College, word.ca, Canada Family Action Coalition, Institute For Canadian Values, Canadians United For Israel and the Evangelical Association are all tied directly to McVety and I'm sure he has his grubby little fingers in more than a few other pies. The challenge is to start digging up the dirt on these organizations, their tax status, their boards and memberships, staffs and missions. One thing that is always true, where goes piety and power goes secrets and lies. Who are these people and groups contributing to and who is beholden to them on Parliament Hill. If these preachers and charlatans are claiming tax exempt status and tampering with public policy and politics then I want their offices and churches closed. These characters routinely feed off the weak and the naive. Are the modest contributions of sincere Canadians paying for mansions, limousines and private planes? Let's find out shall we.

Clickety Click, Google Trick!

Oh! Oh, oh, oh...

Seems that a certain blogger called Shuffl has done a truly first rate job of getting the early scoop on shifty ol' Doc McVety and his snake oil schemes. Go and read. Go on, you'll be amazed. There's too much dirty goodness to do justice with a simple excerpt.

Seems like the serial scams, er, organizations with which McVety is a principal all seem to operate out of the same address, using the same phone and fax numbers and they all seem to be soliciting funds with no way of determining what money is generated by which of these shell game outfits. The college has tax exempt status and is bound by the requisite regulations regarding political activities. The rest of these crack pot lobbying outfits are not. Given the number of groups operating off the College's phone, I bet it would be a real gas for a forensic accountant to spend some time digging through the collected books. I'm speculating here but I'd guess they've been cooked like shoe leather steak, well done.

I'm going to be addressing the terminally fucking stupid goobers that will inevitably pop up and whine that they don't want their tax dollars paying for the lousy artsies to make movies they don't want to see. For the moment I will leave those characters to their bibs and drool cups. There's plenty wrong with the film industry and a lot that is right. But the amount of cash that the tax credits represent is a small sum indeed, compared to the billions that are poured back into the economy by productions.

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Some more of the good guys weigh in...

Runesmith!
Red Tory!
900 Foot Jesus!

And for frack sakes, if you haven't already, go and read Shuffl. You'll be glad you did, in a really fucking angry kind of way.