Christy Clark pledge to double arts council funding contradicts arts minister's campaign statement

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      More than three weeks before the B.C. election, the Straight reported that the NDP was promising to double the budget of the B.C. Arts Council.

      At the time, Spencer Chandra Herbert (Vancouver–West End) pointed out that New Democrats were the only ones who were making this commitment.

      "I've searched the Green party platform and the Liberal platform," Chandra Herbert told the Straight. "There's nothing in either party platform to support our arts scene in this way."

      After the election, however, the B.C. Liberal throne speech ripped off this promise. The Christy Clark government was now going to double annual arts council funding to $48 million as a reflection of its "commitment to the value of creativity and innovation".

      The temporary B.C. Liberal environment minister, Jordan Sturdy, even tweeted this to his followers.

      He didn't give Chandra Herbert or the NDP any credit.

      Sturdy could get away with this because there are no laws against political plagiarism.

      But over Twitter, the B.C. Liberals' about-face has been exposed by none other than Chandra Herbert.

      He pointed out that at a pre-election debate on culture, then B.C. Liberal candidate Sam Sullivan "said his party would definitely not double arts funding".

      Lo and behold, Sullivan is now the minister responsible for the B.C. Arts Council. That is, at least until the B.C. Liberal government is defeated in the legislature, likely on Thursday (June 29).

      Chandra Herbert's tweet has others wondering who was telling the truth on the B.C. Liberal side of the house.

      To Garossino's comment, Chandra Herbert simply stated: "well said!"

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