At least the name is easier to pronounce … BPIDP becomes Canada Book Fund

The Department of Canadian Heritage announced today in Victoria that it will be renewing funding for the Canadian book industry to the tune of $39.5 million per year over the next five years.

The press release explains that the renewed investment will “help publishers and other book industry stakeholders to weather the current economic slowdown.” The Book Publishing Industry Development Program (BPIDP) will be renamed the Canada Book Fund, to reflect the shift from “a developing industry” to “a mature industry.”

Deirdra McCracken, director of communications for DCH told Q&Q that despite the rumours, there will be no changes to the eligibility criteria.

The funding will help ensure that publishers keep up with new digital technologies and adopt competitive business models. The new program will begin in 2010 and specific details have yet to be confirmed.

The Association of Canadian Publishers announced its support of the changes in a press release today, with specific reference to the emphasis on digital technologies.

Here is ACP President Rodger Touchie’s response to Heritage Minister James Moore’s announcement: “New technology offers enormous opportunity to Canadian publishers, but it comes with challenges as well. Renewed BPIDP funding will help Canadian publishers compete as new business models emerge, and will make it possible for us to pursue new markets and opportunities.”

Memo to Yann Martel: Now THAT’s how it’s done

Dedicated readers of Quillblog (among others) are no doubt aware of Yann Martel’s painfully earnest campaign to get Prime Minister Stephen Harper to inject a little stillness into his life. Every two weeks for the last two years, Martel has been sending an autographed copy of a recommended book to Harper, along with a letter. These letters – which are compiled in the upcoming collection What is Stephen Harper Reading? Yann Martel’s Recommended Reading for a Prime Minister and Book Lovers of All Stripes (the subtitle of which confusingly conflates Harper and book lovers, but never mind) – are literate, somewhat pedantic, and almost completely devoid of humour.

Not so Rob Taylor, a Vancouver-based poet who is engaging in a less well-publicized campaign to get James Moore, Canada’s minister of cultural heritage and official languages, to reverse an impending policy that would see funding cut for magazines with annual circulations of under 5,000 copies – which would include virtually every literary magazine in this country. On March 13 of this year, Taylor sent Moore an open letter protesting the proposed funding cuts to small magazines. Taylor attached a poem he wrote for Moore, which he suggested the minister might print in his constituency newsletter. The poem read, in part:

You’re a few bricks short, a ten-second minute,
You’ve got a nice house, but there’s nobody in it.
You’re as thick as molasses, as sharp as a ball,
Your car’s cylinders just won’t fire at all.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Taylor never heard back. So he’s written to Moore again, and appended a second poem. His letter, posted to his blog, is a small satirical gem and includes Taylor’s thoughts on why he might not have received a response from Moore’s office:

I forgot to include a SASE with the submission. Maybe that’s the problem. I understand that budgets are tight everywhere, and it may be too costly for you to mail the reply (when automakers are only getting $4 billion in bailout money, you know times are tough!). So if that’s the case, I’ve attached a SASE with this letter.

It’s doubtful that either Martel or Taylor will have much effect on their respective targets, but at least Taylor is able to laugh a little while stirring his pot.

Doing the Harper shuffle

Ordinary working people in the arts community who were miffed by the Conservative government’s $45-million cuts to a broad array of arts programs may have reason to breathe a bit easier today. Josée Verner, the Heritage Minister in place when those cuts were announced, has been bounced from her portfolio by newly re-elected Prime Minister Stephen Harper, who announced his new cabinet today. Verner takes over the Intergovernmental Affairs portfolio, while James Moore, MP for Port Moody-Westwood-Port Coquitlam, takes over the Heritage post.

Celebrations within the arts community may prove short-lived, however. According to his official website, the only arts-related experience Moore has had comes from working as a radio broadcaster in Vancouver and Prince George, where he hosted a talk show called “Behind the Headlines.” He has held several positions in the Conservative government, including parliamentary secretary to the Minister of Public Works and, most recently, Secretary of State for the 2010 Olympics, Official Languages, and the Asia-Pacific Gateway.

His website bio reads in part:

In his first term in office, through Private Members’ bills, James proposed legislation that would offer relief to victims of the leaky condo tragedy, toughen laws against date-rape drugs, force the Prime Minister to appoint elected Senators, impose consecutive rather than concurrent sentencing for violent criminals, ban gun ownership for violent criminals, toughen penalties for the illegal trafficking of prohibited weapons and ammunition, and toughen penalties for the trafficking of child pornography online.

It remains to be seen whether this tough-on-crime crusader will be a successful advocate for Canadian arts organizations. This Quillblogger has his suspicions, but will refrain from voicing them at this time.

Also of note in Harper’s newly constituted cabinet is the presence of veteran television broadcaster Peter Kent, who takes over as Minister of State for Foreign Affairs (Americas).