Talking The Talk

“Newly appointed [Canadian] Heritage Minister Hélène Chalifour Scherrer made her first official appearance in the cultural community Tuesday, sweeping into Toronto on short notice to meet with leaders of major arts organizations.” Arts officials were impressed with Scherrer’s seeming willingness to work closely with them to preserve Canada’s cultural diversity at a time when the government has said that there will be no new money available for the arts. Scherrer’s appointment had originally been met with uncertainty from arts organizations, as her background is primarily in sports, but her Toronto sweep is likely to enhance her popularity, particularly when compared with that of her predecessor, who was frequently criticized for a lack of direct engagement.