Excerpt
…moment not brought about by a single individual but by those who stand
on the shoulders of those that went before. How interesting that it might
well be a painter, born in another country, who may be the giant banging
boulders together to create that last little bit of sand that makes a beach.”
Hawking asked him how the government worked in the Northwest
Territories. Each year a billion dollars was allocated to the region – a region
that was comprised of fewer people than walked through the lobby
of First Canadian Place each day. Somehow, the government lost track of
the money each year and it wasn’t being spent on the social programs it
was earmarked for.
Ken told him about “the bosses” – those who used to work for the
Hudson’s Bay Company and who now ran things. It didn’t take a genius
to understand where the money was going. If it was meant to build new
houses, then those houses were not being built.
Hawking asked Ken to go to Ottawa with him and talk to his staff and
other ministers who should know what was going on.
Reluctantly, he agreed. He had been avoiding politics. Instead he had
been focussing on disseminating the Arctic story only through his work.
He flew to Ottawa and met with the politicians and bureaucrats. When
they asked questions he reframed them and tossed them back. But he told
them bluntly that the issue of the disappearing money was the biggest
boondoggle in the country, though he had no statistics and no proof –
just stories.
“If you want to get to the bottom of it, do you own work,” he said. “My
work is to tell the stories about the Arctic by painting and talking.”
“The Prime Minister should hear this,” Hawking said.
“It’s your job to tell him,” Ken said. “Not mine.”
No, the ministers said, it would be better coming from you. “He should
at least have knowledge of you,” Hawking said.
“I’m quite sure he already does,” Ken said. “In a short meeting I will
have to water all this down and take the thunder out of it. However, one
day I am going to march in here and take this place over. You understand
that, don’t you?”
“I wouldn’t doubt it,” Hawking said.
Despite Ken’s protests, Hawking and his colleagues convinced him to
meet with Brian Mulroney the next day. When Mulroney entered the office
where Ken was waiting, he reached out a hand and pulled Ken forward,
throwing him momentarily off balance. Ken gathered his thoughts
and said, “I’ve been asked to come here and tell you in a few minutes what
it took me two and a half days to tell these folks. I am here at their request.
I have not sought an audience with you or them. I am not being paid for
this and I don’t want to be.”
Libros Libertad 