For the first time in ages, Canada’s Liberal Party, which dominates national politics, is in serious danger of losing its grip on power, and arts organizations are getting worried about what a Conservative victory could mean for them. The current Liberal culture minister has been fanning the flames, implying that the Tories would adopt “a scorched-earth policy” towards national arts funding, but some independent observers say that such dangers are being grossly overstated. Still, there’s no doubt that the Conservatives are strongly in favor of lower government spending and open markets, which arts advocates fear could further sink Canada into the ocean of American culture.