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Kemptville music lovers and “concerned citizens” are trying to raise $5,000 with an online campaign as objections mount over a sponsorship donation by TransCanada Corp. for the city’s popular Dandelion Festival.
At least three of 18 acts slated to perform at the show, set for May 22-24, say they won’t perform because of the oil company’s $5,000 sponsorship.
Musicians John Carroll, Lisa Poushinsky and George Buys said in a news release they “strongly object to playing under the TransCanada Banner.”
“Because we feel that the Dandelion Festival did not keep the best interests of the community in mind when seeking sponsorship, as a group we have decided to withdraw our performance services from the Festival and stand up for the concerns of the members of our community opposed to the TransCanada Energy East pipeline project,” the release said.
Shaun Vardon, the festival’s board chair, says he’s surprised by the move.
“I thought they would have at least waited until May 8,” he said. An Indiegogo campaign has until that time to raise funds, in which case TransCanada will get its money back.
Vardon says the festival needed the extra money, which makes up about 16 per cent of its budget, to compensate for lower grants from the federal government this year.
After he realized how upset it made the public, it was too late to give the money back.
“We’ve already signed contracts, we’ve allocated the funds, we can’t just take a significant portion of our budget out,” he said.
“In the end we’re not here to judge either side of the argument. It’s not about politics, it’s about giving the community a weekend of fun family entertainment,” Vardon said.
Poushinksy, who lives in the area, says the musicians are pulling out because of the controversial Energy East pipeline, which will transport upwards of one million barrels of crude oil a day.
“We believe that the TransCanada Corporation does not operate in the long term best interest of the community or the local and national ecology,” the release said.
Sustainable North Grenville, described by member Diana Steadman as a “group of concerned citizens” started the Indiegogo campaign to replace the $5,000.
“SNG is in this position where we understand and share the concerns of the musicians, but we also see the Dandelion Festival as an important event in this community,” Steadman said.
She says she’s confident the money will be raised by the May 8 deadline.
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At least three of 18 acts slated to perform at the show, set for May 22-24, say they won’t perform because of the oil company’s $5,000 sponsorship.
Musicians John Carroll, Lisa Poushinsky and George Buys said in a news release they “strongly object to playing under the TransCanada Banner.”
“Because we feel that the Dandelion Festival did not keep the best interests of the community in mind when seeking sponsorship, as a group we have decided to withdraw our performance services from the Festival and stand up for the concerns of the members of our community opposed to the TransCanada Energy East pipeline project,” the release said.
Shaun Vardon, the festival’s board chair, says he’s surprised by the move.
“I thought they would have at least waited until May 8,” he said. An Indiegogo campaign has until that time to raise funds, in which case TransCanada will get its money back.
Vardon says the festival needed the extra money, which makes up about 16 per cent of its budget, to compensate for lower grants from the federal government this year.
After he realized how upset it made the public, it was too late to give the money back.
“We’ve already signed contracts, we’ve allocated the funds, we can’t just take a significant portion of our budget out,” he said.
“In the end we’re not here to judge either side of the argument. It’s not about politics, it’s about giving the community a weekend of fun family entertainment,” Vardon said.
Poushinksy, who lives in the area, says the musicians are pulling out because of the controversial Energy East pipeline, which will transport upwards of one million barrels of crude oil a day.
“We believe that the TransCanada Corporation does not operate in the long term best interest of the community or the local and national ecology,” the release said.
Sustainable North Grenville, described by member Diana Steadman as a “group of concerned citizens” started the Indiegogo campaign to replace the $5,000.
“SNG is in this position where we understand and share the concerns of the musicians, but we also see the Dandelion Festival as an important event in this community,” Steadman said.
She says she’s confident the money will be raised by the May 8 deadline.
查看原文...
