By Pepper Parr
December 4th, 2024
BURLINGTON, ON
Each year, Culture Days recognizes communities from across the country for their dedication and efforts with the Top Participating Communities listing. Hailing from large urban centres, towns, and rural areas alike, each community is a recognized champion of arts, culture, and creativity.
Culture Days is a national arts and culture campaign in Canada that takes place in the fall. It’s a non-profit organization that aims to:
Build a network of cultural connections
Provide opportunities for Canadians to participate in and appreciate all forms of art and culture
Raise awareness of the importance of arts and culture in communities.
The organization released some rankings data.
Let’s take a look at the data. In the Overall category Oakville, Milton and Halton Hills ranked in the top 10. That amounted to three of the four Regional municipalities being ranked with Winnipeg and Toronto – not too shabby at all. In the Mid-size cities, Burlington ranked 9th out of the ten.
What’s behind the data? Why does Burlington rank so poorly? The biggest reason could be that the city Recreation, Community and Culture staff don’t seem to really get behind the Culture Days program; Culture doesn’t seem to rank with Community and Recreation.
Unfortunate for a city that has a Performing Arts Centre and a Student Theatre.
I may be going out on a limb here by saying that I have found that there is a heightened awareness out there about “cultural appropriation” and perhaps it has come to a point where everyone is a bit reticent to say or do anything that might offend others. I am of Irish heritage and I don’t mind it one bit when folk who aren’t decide to take part in St. Patrick’s Day celebrations, wear claddagh jewellery or a fisherman knit sweater! However having said that, there are folk who are protective of that which is part of their culture, and are not as receptive to those who aren’t wanting to take engage full on. Everyone is different and sometimes that is more of a hindrance that a help when it comes to sharing and celebrating cultural diversity with one another. Just my 2 cents’ worth.
Just because a group of folks choose to exercise their right to free speech and DISAGREE with everything the city does, doesn’t mean that they are worse than those that AGREE with everything! Everyone is entitled to an opinion and the opportunity to express it. The last time I checked, disagreement does not equal hate…
I am sure COB will take a cheque book approach to remedy the situation. More staff including the addition of a Director of Image Improvement.
Not a surprise when certain contributors to this news feed advocate for eliminating the SOM. Commenters wanting to get rid of golf courses, others advocating against arenas or children playing sports on streets etc. these are all conducive the the culture of a city and in Burlington we have the Hateful 8 who continually speak out against anything and everything the city does. I won’t name names but it isn’t hard to weed out whom I refer to.
Editor’s note: That eight people disagree with much of what the city does – isn’t justification for labelling them hateful. Curb the language please.