Yes, definitely. This decision is even that much more incomprehensible when you consider that, a few years ago, I calculated that Germany spends more money promoting German culture in Canada, through the Goethe-Institute, than Canada spends on promoting its own culture around the globe. At some point, this becomes a conscious choice. Choices are complex and difficult when resources are limited, but there are a multitude of needs to fill in a multitude of ways.
The important thing for me was to respectfully present our thoughts to the committee regarding the economic consequences of the choices that are being made, given the modest amounts of money invested in the PromArt Program. The funding that this investment allowed us to leverage in foreign currency was already more than the amount of the investment. I will say it again: these cuts are an economic absurdity, not to mention their impact on the artistic community.