NDP MP Paul Dewar riffs off of Prime Minister Stephen Harper's performance on Saturday of the Beatle's classic “With a Little Help From My Friends” with this statement, delivered moments ago in the House of Commons:
Mr. Speaker, we saw the Prime Minister's attempt to sing a new song on the weekend.
While those in attendance at National Arts Centre's gala enjoyed the Prime Minister's show, the question is will he honestly change his tune when it comes to supporting the arts? Will he take a sad song and make it better?
For example, will he check the math of his heritage minister? This Minister has inflated the costs of the proposed national portrait gallery by 50 million dollars. Money can't buy you love, but you can invest in a portrait gallery with many fewer notes.
Will he clarify the minister's “twist and shout” on the portrait gallery? Or will the Prime Minister allow disharmony to continue and simply Let it Be?
Millions of dollars have already been invested in preparing the former US embassy for use as our national portrait gallery. Canadians want to know what the government is planning to do with this space now that they have decided to cancel the gallery. Do they have a plan or is it just a Magical Mystery Tour?
Mr. Speaker, if he truly wants to sing a new song on the arts, and not just be a “day tripper,” I ask the Prime Minister to stop “hiding his love away” and start supporting the portrait gallery.