Memo to G20 leaders: Deficit reduction may be imperative but don’t curtail investment in the arts

In this country, Toronto is the biggest and most reliable of these economic miracle-working machines, but it’s the combined clout of Toronto with other great Canadian cities — Montreal, Vancouver, Ottawa, Edmonton and Calgary — that is helping us bounce back from a scary recession and avoid slipping into the same pit again.

I also wondered whether those G20 deep thinkers ever ask themselves what are the key elements that help great cities, not just here but in other developed countries as well, surge ahead despite the catastrophes foisted upon them by greedy and corrupt corporations and misguided governments?

The answer, supported by countless research studies: arts and entertainment, along with education. Culture, unlike health care, can be supported with a relatively small amount of money — and it pays huge dividends. By strengthening a city’s quality of life, it draws the brightest people and most desirable companies, and it fuels the housing industry, including Toronto’s condo boom.

Memo to G20 leaders: Deficit reduction may be imperative but don’t curtail investment in the arts. Culture strengthens cities, and modest investments bring huge returns.
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