I feel the need to weigh in on this matter of publicly funded arts and the like. The issue is not whether we should publicly fund the arts. Of course we should, when we can. The issue is also not whether Uncle Gordy and the Libs lied about the deficit. They did – get over it. Given our depleted provincial coffers, the issue is, or at least should be, what are “wants” vs. what are “needs.”

The hard fact is that B.C. is broke ­— not California broke, mind you —  but the cupboard is a little bare around here. For the government to temporarily pull funding from non-essential programs such as the arts, culture and sports so that we can maintain education and health spending seems prudent.

To use the earmarked lottery funds to cover the “budget shortfall” (read “Olympics”) is a little grating for many, but we’re too far into the Olympic program to pull out and leave Vancouver with hundreds of acres of partially finished buildings — not to mention the international egg on the face … and what else can you do with a multi-million dollar bobsled track?

 With that in mind, here are a couple of suggestions for the downtrodden hobbyists and the needy whiners:

 • If there’s no public money for a particular program — try some private money … maybe start with your own.

 • Consider that many people may fail to see the importance of funding potters or musicians when held up against their need for doctors and nurses.

 • If the school PAC can’t buy new balls or fund trips to the ice arena or the band festival for a little while, perhaps the kids could try getting by with what’s already available...and a little imagination.

 I am certainly not belittling the contribution that sports and the arts make to the well being of any community, but when it comes to the ever-dwindling public purse ­— I gotta believe that learning and healing trump acting and painting every time.