A black hole opens in Canada’s arts
NewsThree years ago, the National Arts Centre in Ottawa hired Arna Einarsdóttir as managing director of its orchestra. Arna, 50, came from the Icelandic Symphony Orchestra where she had done a pretty good job.
We now understand that she’s no longer there,
Her name is stll listed on its website, but we hear she has fled to Sweden, to a mid-level job at the Gothenburg Symphony.
What’s going on? No-one’s saying.
But NAC chiefs are complaining privately of a vastly increased workload.
UPDATE: We hear that Arna’s deputy has also left. Marc Stevens has joined Calgary Philharmonic as its CEO. Anyone left in Ottawa to turn out the lights?
Who on earth wants to live in Canada. A country where you can be stripped of freedom for protesting against the government. If this is what they can offer you, I’d at least live under such condictions in a much better climate. Venezuela and Cuba springs to mind.
Peter, you might want to check your facts. Protest doesn’t involve stripping non protestors of their rights and freedoms as the ones in Canada did. What Canada has a problem with, in the larger cities, is an ever increasing price on housing, a stagnating economy and Ottawa is bloody cold and bereft of interesting things to do in winter. Of all the ‘major’ bands in Canada, Ottawa’s workload is the least strenuous and the best paying.
TRIPE.
Then go to Cuba or Venezuela already, Peter, and stay. I am sure you can shut down Havana or Caracas with large groups of semi-trailer trucks if you want to. Canada is a lovely country, and the government there did what virtually all national governments will do if some rogue group tries to shut down the capital city. Actually, the Canadian government was far more polite about it than most governments would be.
They DID shut down the capital city. Residents of downtown were forced to endure noise and air pollution and could not get out because vehicles — taxis, public transport, grocery and medications deliveries — could not get in.
Meanwhile the “protesters,” most if whom were vaccinated at the insistence of either their own industry or the US, if they worked cross-border runs, were partying loudly in concert tents, enjoying hot tubs, saunas, bouncy castles, and first-rate well fuelled food and drink services.
Many of the protesters were from the US, at least one a former Trump official. Many were rent-a-thug, and they attacked local pedestrians and journalists. Physically. As well as hurling abuse at those who asked them to stop honking horns 10 hours a day and to turn off their permanently idling engines to reduce the air pollution.
Although there were some arrests and charges, all but one of the protesters was bailed. She has been recalcitrant and still fighting. The response was indeed polite. We don’t really know who the protesters were, or what they were on about.
If they don’t like Trudeau, they have access to the ballot box. And to forms of protest that do not ruin the lives of people who are simply trying to cope in times that are trying enough without these self-indulgent and seriously well-funded clowns. Businesses that had suffered due to Covid restrictions for 2 years had to close down completely thanks to these people.
I am mystified as to what freedoms they thought they lost. But if they want to see loss of freedom, they should have looked at what they were doing to innocents during their very unwelcome visit.
Aaaaaand – coming to DC soon.
Excellent – we don’t want you either.
TRIPE.
And the powder puff/cupcake responsible for this – who talks like a princess and behaves like a prima donna – still has the woke in his thrall. Off to the manicurist, Justin, if you please. Or better, the ski chalet.
While it’s true that Venezuela has el sistema and Canada does not, one advantage of living in Canada instead of Venezuela is that a substantial proportion of citizens of the former do not have to scour rubbish dumps for food.
Honk-honk-honk! Honking hon-honk, honk honk hooooonnnnkk. Honk honked honks ho-hon-honk: honk-ho-on-nk hoonkkk. Honky honky.
(apologies for spelling and punctuation errors; I’ve only just learned Freedomspeak)
Yes the world noticed
Marc Stevens left for Calgary months ago, it wasn’t exactly a secret either.
Meanwhile there IS the little matter of this very good orchestra. Discussion? Reaction? Inside info?
It’s just a very rich orchestra. At very heavily subsidized taxpayer expense. It exists in a bubble, the Jurassic Park of the North American orchestra world, awash in unearned cash.