When the writers get mad, you know the Tories are in power too long!

Yann Martel went to Ottawa for a celebration of fifty years of the Canadian Council for the Arts and was insulted by the Conservative Government during a reception and introduction in Parliament. He was insulted because Stephen Harper didn't even look up when fifty of Canada's greatest artists were introduced, and because hardly anyone turned up to the reception. He is also insulted because the CCA only gets $5.50 per Canadian in grant money.

Yann Martel has decided to get even as only a writer can. He has decided to get his revenge through the use of gentle encouragement of the reading of great literature. He is mailing a book to Prime Minister Stephen Harper every second Monday with a letter on why he should read this book. And putting all of this on a website of course.

http://www.whatisstephenharperreading.ca/

I hope he sends him Jane Smiley's chapter on reading from her book on writing.

I wonder what Rodney MacDonald is reading?

And Bertie Ahern.

And Dubya.

I get really pissed off when writers have to take time off writing to protest at the philistine management of conservative governments, when they should be writing. There are politicians whose job it is to make these protests.

Speaking of CanLit, Ondaatje has a new book out this week. Hooray!