Hi, Tim:

Tough times for all, I think, except heads of banks. Oddly enough, as times get tougher, I find I have more time for music, as my theatre productions are scaling back to more manageable efforts.

Do find a way to take in some of the Mozart Week! You'll regret it if you don't. Rush seats or online discounts or something. There are usually ways to find reasonably priced tickets for these things.

In Canada, the minority Conservative government has announced they will completely cut off all funding for the arts. Canada already has the lowest per capita arts funding of any G8 nation (U.S. included). That won't make a dribble of difference in the federal budget but it's gone down well with the hockey crowd. However, it might actually drive prices for arts events down as the organizations realize they have to start selling to the general public, not just the high-brows.

This week, though, the majority Opposition parties have decided they've had enough and formed a coalition to defeat the government, so, knowing he couldn't stave off a defeat, the Prime Minister simply had the Governor General call a halt to the current session of Parliament. Five weeks since a Federal election and two weeks since the Throne Speech and Parliament is prorogued until end of January!

(Yanks: Sorry about all the Commonwealth political terms, but Tim, being an Aussie, will know what I'm talking about.)

Best place for politicians to be, as far as I'm concerned: at home, away from the House and not passing laws.

All the best,

David