57. Positions available (1)

Accepted
9 September 1997

(Two versions were sent. The first triggered a conversation with and a feature article by Robert Everett Green. The rewritten and more sober version was published in anticipation of that article.)

The light is fading and where is the national newspaper — not normally a shrinking violet when it comes to advocating suitable leadership — on who among or other than the rumoured candidates might receive widespread support to become the next Director of the National Gallery and (separately we hope) Director of The Canada Council?
Journalists must be summoned to drag themselves away from film festivals and fall TV programme launches to follow in the formidable steps of the late Globe cultural policy journalists, Stephen Godfrey and canvas the surviving organisations of artists, critics, curators, historians, etc. to get some reading of those best suited for these significant positions.
Of the four published names being considered for The Canada Council job, three are dragging their pasts behind them like Marley’s ghosts, and the fourth a proven arts lobbyist is not — rumour has it — gaining ground. Over at The National Gallery (currently disguised as a successful Renoir Gift Emporium) only two names are being circulated and one, a current Director of a Montréal museum, has arguably already had enough kicks at the museological can. What is worrisome is that the Director’s job at The National Gallery has become so much about politics that any number of retired politicians — think of Benoit Bouchard being moved from monitoring train wrecks — could be in consideration.
So wake up Globe and Mail. There are more important matters of state at hand than prematurely fretting about who will replace the PM. The appointment process may not be democratic, the headhunters may not be swayed by “people power,” but in the name of George Brown and newssheet journalism give us a debate!