Sutcliffe pledges help for funding Ottawa festivals regardless of 2006 column

Ottawa mayoral candidate Mark Sutcliffe says he helps funding festivals within the metropolis after questions emerged a couple of column he wrote 16 years in the past arguing that the town cease funding them.

Officers from Capital Delight and the Tulip Pageant referred to as on Sutcliffe to make clear his place on funding for Ottawa’s festivals after the 2006 Ottawa Citizen column emerged during which he advocated weaning these festivals and others off metropolis cash.

In an announcement on Thursday, Sutcliffe stated he helps the town’s present funding mannequin for festivals and occasions.

“Because the article I wrote in 2006, the Metropolis of Ottawa has reviewed competition funding to make sure that all funded occasions have a socio-economic profit to our group. I’m supportive of this mannequin,” he stated. “It’s disappointing that my opponents are fixated on an article I wrote 16 years in the past, fairly than tabling their very own plans for this essential cultural and financial pillar for our metropolis.”

Sutcliffe stated Ottawa’s arts and tradition group, together with festivals, “is near my coronary heart.”

“My platform dedicates $2M in new funding over 4 years for arts and tradition, in addition to accelerating Ottawa’s progress to turning into a music metropolis.”

Capital Delight issued a letter to Sutcliffe’s marketing campaign on Thursday, elevating questions concerning the column that had the headline, “Festivals needs to be weaned from metropolis funding.”

“Ottawa is well-known for our festivals and occasions. Most of the largest festivals within the metropolis are run by non-profit organizations and so they work on a regular basis to deliver communities collectively,” Capital Delight Govt Director Toby Whitfield wrote. “They contribute to a vibrant metropolis, generate vital financial exercise, elevate funds for native charities and create significant alternatives for native artists.”

On Wednesday, the Canadian Tulip Pageant issued an announcement on Twitter noting it attracts vacationers from around the globe and commemorates the lack of Canadian lives throughout World Battle Two.

Sutcliffe says if elected, he’ll work with Ottawa’s arts, tradition and competition group.

“Ottawa’s arts and tradition group deserve a Mayor who is aware of how essential the sector is to each the cultural cloth and financial well-being of our metropolis, and a Mayor who will stability fiscal duty with compassion for probably the most susceptible in our society,” Sutcliffe stated.

Mayoral candidate Catherine McKenney stated if elected, they might “be certain that funding to festivals is protected.”

“I’ve obtained a letter from @FierteCapPride inquiring about my stance on competition funding. My reply indicated that I’ve all the time stood up for our arts and cultural sectors, together with for our festivals,” McKenney stated on Twitter.

Meantime, former mayor and present mayoral candidate Bob Chiarelli claims Sutcliffe’s feedback within the column are “additional proof he isn’t as much as the job of being mayor – the town’s chief ambassador.”

Chiarelli provides he’s “vigorously against defunding these occasions. They’re just too essential to Franco-Ontarians, the LGBTQ+ group, vacationers, and the general public at massive.”