Trudeau events at movie fest whereas a whole lot line up for meals

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It’s a story of two realities within the metropolis, with individuals standing in two separate strains.

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In a single, individuals hope to catch a glimpse of a star. In one other, individuals await meals.

As Prime Minister Justin Trudeau frolicked with members of The Tragically Hip and Hollywood stars on Friday, not far-off have been lineups at meals banks.

Typically Canada comes throughout as a a tone-deaf nation of haves and have nots.

Definitely, there’s no champagne, hors d’oeuvres or cocktails served at meals banks. Simply the fundamentals. It’s fancier for these on the VIP checklist contained in the Toronto Worldwide Movie Competition, nonetheless.

That is the story of a literal prince and pauper. And toll collectors and toll payers too. The one distinction is the pauper doesn’t get an opportunity to play the prince as fantasized in Mark Twain’s basic novel. These paupers are stored behind safety obstacles whereas the prince and his topics devour the nice life on the expense of the general public.

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And take selfie photos with the movie star world and exquisite individuals. The elite awash in privilege, with the assistance from hundreds of thousands of taxpayer {dollars}, stay like kings whereas the opposite half fend off starvation. This was no film. You couldn’t write a script extra contrasting.

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In some methods this was one other allow them to eat lobster second that we noticed ultimately summer season’s East Coast cupboard retreat! Some consider this affords one other instance of how the flowery stay whereas being oblivious to these across the nook not doing as nicely.

“Canada has change into a significant vacation spot for the movie trade — and the Toronto Worldwide Movie Competition is a giant cause why,” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stated in an X Submit. “Congratulations to everybody at @TIFF_NET on kicking off one other yr. Thanks for bringing the world to Canada.”

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Folks near Trudeau, nonetheless, inform me the prime minister is real in his curiosity in growing filmmakers and future musicians. They are saying he believes what conservatives consider as company welfare is definitely investing in Canada and Canadians to assist create jobs and prosperity.

It’s a good debate to have. However one can’t deny these meals strains close to the film strains. Whereas it’s cool that Trudeau is a Hip fan and enjoys being round films stars and celebrities, what he doesn’t say is Canadian taxpayers fund a big a part of this get together. It’s our cash that pays for this enjoyable.

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The 2024 price range signifies an earmark of “$23 million over three years, beginning in 2024-25 for The Toronto Worldwide Movie Competition, which attracts main filmmakers and actors from world wide, taking part in an necessary function in Toronto’s leisure and tourism industries.”

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So TIFF, which has not commented on how they use this money, is getting hundreds of thousands from taxpayers whereas individuals can’t afford their lease, mortgages, automobile funds, education, tanks of gasoline or groceries?

Additionally on X, Trudeau posted a gathering with movie college students wherein he wrote, “these college students proper listed below are why we spend money on the humanities. They’ve tales to inform, and I need the world to listen to them.”

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When he says investments he means public grants for these pushing liberal beliefs whereas ignoring these rising bread strains in Liberal ridings like Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland’s College-Rosedale.

There are legitimate arguments on all sides of subsidizing the humanities or media. Media corporations, just like the one which publishes this column, are eligible for hundreds of thousands of federal support too. And don’t overlook the federal authorities on the brink of pony up $104-million for the FIFA World Cup soccer match in 2026. 

However when individuals can’t afford to stay everyday, greater than two million don’t have docs whereas a whole lot of 1000’s are leaning on meals banks, there must be a dialogue if films, music, soccer or media can’t make a go of it by means of company sponsorship, why ought to taxpayer’s assist foot the invoice?

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Trudeau, Ontario Premier Doug Ford and Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow are all completely happy to pose for photos in the case of taxpayer-funded tasks. With a minority authorities and a possible federal election looming, the cynical aspect of those that comply with politics say this was successfully a $23-million photograph op round an applauding crowd of those that get their piece of this slush fund.

No matter your political bent, it’s laborious to justify leaders residing the excessive life on taxpayers’ cash on one aspect of the road whereas there are meals financial institution lineups on the opposite aspect.

And that’s a tragedy you might not discover on a display screen on the movie competition.

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