Jim Patterson 🇨🇦
It's getting tougher to pull together a festival in #Ottawa this year. The city, #Ontario and #Canada are all cutting back what they're willing to spend on festivals "for the people". I guess @fordnation would rather put half a billion dollars into the #Therme spa than spend it on things everyone can enjoy. #onpoli #cdnpoli https://ottawacitizen.com/entertainment/ottawas-iconic-tulip-festival-is-facing-a-major-cash-crunch-and-its-not-alone
Ottawa's iconic tulip festival is facing a major cash crunch — and it's not alone

Many of Ottawa's spring and summer festivals are facing a cash crunch with smaller government grants and dwindling sponsorships.

Ottawa Citizen
Mar 30, 2024 at 10:02pmWeb
Show threadJim Patterson 🇨🇦Mar 30, 2024
New mayor #MarkSutcliffe seems fine with spending less on such frivolities. Before he became mayor he was a local media personality and advocated cutting out city funding on such things.
The latest City budget has started the weaning-off he advocated back then.
From @llebrun in @pressprogress .
https://pressprogress.ca/ottawa-election-mark-sutcliffe-advocated-defunding-capital-pride-festival-franco-ontarien-and-tulip-festival/
Ottawa Election: Mark Sutcliffe Advocated Defunding Capital Pride, Festival Franco-Ontarien and Tulip Festival

Mark Sutcliffe derided local LGBTQ and francophone community groups, suggesting organizers are just ‘looking for a handout’

PressProgress