We’ve met Franke James, a Canadian visual artist, on 350orbust before. I discuss the Harper government’s interference with a big career opportunity for her, a European art tour, in these posts: Dear Prime Minister Harper: Please Stop Blacklisting Environmental Artists and Scientists and Is The Kremlin Now In Charge? Harper Government Now Silencing Canadian Artists and Scientists. Now this creative environmental artist has taken the bold step of taking her art right to Prime Minister Harper’s doorstep, into public spaces in Ottawa:
This week, Franke was interviewed on CBC Radio’s The Current, with this intro:
Franke James creates irreverent even whimsical art with a message about the environment, oil sands and climate change but when a federal bureaucrat accused her of creating a Fantasy, she filed an Access to Information request and discovered an email trail indicating officials at the Foreign Affairs Dept don’t seem to like her art and pulled funding because her work isn’t consistent with government interests. She says that opinion ended plans for a European art tour.
Go to the CBC website to hear the full interview.
And don’t forget to check out Franke’s blog to read her full visual essay, Banned On The Hill (And In Europe!). And spread the word about her art show on to your circle. Let’s support freedom of speech in our country, and Franke James!
More links:
My Green Conscience: Franke James
Is The Kremlin Now In Charge? Harper Government Silencing Canadian Artists And Scientists.
Claiming Joy & Healing Amidst the Climate Emergency 
2 responses to “Banned On The Hill: Franke James Takes Her Art To Ottawa”
Christine,
Thank you so much for sharing the news of my “Banned on the Hill” protest artshow and my visual essay (which tells the whole censorship story and how the government is working behind-the-scenes to silence environmental messengers and those who oppose dirty oil.)
It is so important for Canadian’s right to free speech that we all speak up — and tell the Harper Government loudly and in no uncertain terms — that the right to disagree with them is protected in the Canadian Charter of Rights — so we will not be silenced.
It is only through public pressure that we will persuade the Harper Govt that silencing dissenting voices is not in their best interests, or the best interests of a free and democratic society.
We all need to speak up. Thank you for your support!
Franke
Thanks for adding your voice, Franke. For anyone who doesn’t realize the importance of the freedoms we are guaranteed under the Charter of Rights, I am reminded of Martin Neimoller’s famous quote:
When the Nazis came for the communists,
I remained silent;
I was not a communist.
When they locked up the social democrats,
I remained silent;
I was not a social democrat.
When they came for the trade unionists,
I did not speak out;
I was not a trade unionist.
When they came for the Jews,
I remained silent;
I wasn’t a Jew.
When they came for me,
there was no one left to speak out.