Feds Scrap Cultural Fund That Spent Canadian Tax Dollars on Sex Toy Show

Previous federal evaluation of the Mission Cultural Fund found transparency and governance concerns

Canadian dollar coins sit atop Canada's flag in a file photo. (Mark Blinch/Reuters)

Global Affairs Canada has axed the controversial Mission Cultural Fund, an arts and culture funding program that drew fire for financing a sex toy show in Germany and for being flagged by a federal evaluation over transparency concerns.

“This is a big win for taxpayers and it’s long overdue. Paying for a sex toy show in Germany and flying chefs around the world was a huge waste of taxpayers’ money and Global Affairs should have shut this down years ago," said Franco Terrazzano, federal director of the Canadian Taxpayer’s Federation (CTF), in a May 29 release.

The Mission Cultural Fund (MCF) program was created in 2016 to support “cultural diplomacy” activities to help advance Canada’s foreign policy priorities. The MCF’s creation, which accompanied a $1.9 billion investment over five years, was part of an effort to showcase Canada’s artistic industries to the world.

The MCF expired on March 31, 2023, and its annual allocation for 2022-23 was fully expended.

According to CTF analysis, the fund was found to be consistently over budget: While the fund was given a budget of $1.75 million annually, its average annual spending was nearly $3.8 million. In its first three years, the fund went over budget by more than $6 million.

Some of the events the funding went to included an $8,813.70 sex toy art show in Germany, $12,520 for Canadian seniors to share their sex stories around the world, $17,000 to fly a chef from Canada to India to cook Indian food during Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s 10-day trip in 2018, $51,145 for a red-carpet photography exhibition for Canadian rock star Bryan Adams, and nearly $10,000 to help author Margaret Atwood promote a new book in Australia.

According to Kris Sims, Alberta director of the CTF, the MCF was a “slush fund for the most ridiculous, frivolous examples of government waste around the world.”

Governance Problems

A 2020 evaluation of the MCF conducted by the federal government said the fund had been successful in leveraging increased professional opportunities abroad for Canadian artists. It cited an example where in 2019, Canada’s embassy in Tel Aviv invited presenters to the first Canadian dance festival, resulting in three Canadian companies securing additional contracts.

However, the evaluation also found the MCF had a number of problems, such as lacking a formal governance structure, having unclear roles and responsibilities for staff, and difficulties with measuring the program’s outcomes.

The evaluation also found the amounts of money the MCF provided to missions was inconsistent, which led to “increased uncertainty on the capacity to deliver cultural initiatives and fear of jeopardizing existing partnerships and engagements.”

The evaluation called for the establishment of a formal governance structure for decision-making, and clearly articulated roles and responsibilities for internal and external stakeholders, as well as a "formal project assessment process to ensure transparent and equitable funding allocation.”