Nova Scotia, and Cape Breton particularly, has long been fertile ground for producing superb musicians. Among them is JP Cormier, a multi-instrumentalist, singer, songwriter, and teacher who’s made some 15 albums, all of which have been extremely well-received.
When he heard that a school official in Cape Breton had described music and the arts as ‘fluff’ subjects, he was shocked and angered
Lorn Green , chairman of the Cape Breton-Victoria regional school board, claims that neither he nor other board members feels the arts are fluff, but that it’s a word often used by the public during school reviews. He points out those subjects could be jeopardized if a comprehensive review of the school system doesn’t take place. He says he would like to see them enhanced, but that there are no guarantees and says some entire schools might be closed in the region.
JP Cormier notes that the traditional coal and steel industries have disappeared and that, “music and the arts and the scenery, of course, is really all we have left. Musicians like me, Jimmy Rankin, Rita MacNeil, the Barras — we bring millions of dollars into the local economy.”
He points out that he’s had a successful career in music for 30 years and that, “Cape Breton is full of artists, painters, sculptors, digital artists. How could they be dismissed in this way?
JP Cormier also remarked that, “Canada can spend $10 million to bring panda bears to Toronto but we can’t afford music and arts in school. There’s something wrong there.”
(mm with files from Halifax Chronicle-Herald)
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