Williams accused of 'fed bashing' with arts funding announcement

Federal cabinet minister Loyola Hearn is accusing Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Danny Williams of "fed bashing" after his government announced it will replace recent federal cuts to arts programs in the province.

Hearn, minister of fisheries and oceans and the minister responsible for Newfoundland and Labrador, issued a statement Friday saying Williams' promise for arts funding  "is another example of fed bashing that looks good on paper and scores some political points, but doesn't have any foundation in reality."

"The federal Conservative government has increased funding to the arts in the past year from $3.2 billion to $3.4 billion," Hearn said.

Ottawa recently cut a travel assistance program that allows musicians and other artists to travel within Canada and abroad to promote their art. The move will cost Newfoundland and Labrador $250,000 per year. The province said Thursday it will replace the funding.

Clyde Jackman, the provincial tourism and culture minister, told CBC News on Friday a possible federal election did not influence the province's decision.

"We have, as I said, put our money into this sector and we believe that these cuts will certainly negatively impact on this sector, therefore we felt it imperative that we do step up at this particular time," he said.

In his statement, Hearn said that Williams' "predictable line of attack" would continue in the days and weeks ahead.

"People should see it for what it is. With a health-care crisis in the province, ongoing issues at MUN, national media attention this week about unsafe drinking water in rural Newfoundland and Labrador and his testimony at the Cameron Inquiry starting to draw closer, ramping up the ABC campaign helps the premier try to distract from these challenging issues at home," Hearn said.

Williams coined the phrase "ABC campaign," encouraging people to vote "anything but Conservative," in May 2007 after feuding with Prime Minister Stephen Harper over equalization formulas.

Williams has frequently criticized Harper for breaking a written 2006 campaign promise, in which Harper said a Conservative government would exclude non-renewable resources in any new formula.