Harper plays the piano and art lovers.

This is from the Globe and Mail.

While this is a progressive policy nevertheless it is also a transparent attempt to buy some art supporters votes and undo some of the damage his earlier remarks on the arts may have done.
'This is just one of many promises used to buy votes and get a majority so he won't have to be worried about what anyone thinks and can get on with his real agenda. Remember his income trust taxation promise, his promise not to manipulate election timing by passing the fixed election date law? I am sure you have your own favorite. And this guy is the most trusted of all the leaders. Of course, everyone knows he can be trusted to break his promises. Or a better explanaton is that we can trust him to successfully dupe a lot of people.


CONSERVATIVE PROMISES
Harper offers tax credit for children's arts programs
JANE TABER
With a report from The Canadian Press
September 30, 2008
OTTAWA -- Conservative Leader Stephen Harper is targeting families - and hoping to assuage the angered arts community - by promising a new tax credit for childhood arts programs.
His announcement yesterday comes as the Tories are being criticized for cutting arts and culture programs across the country, and just days after Mr. Harper denounced artists as a subsidy-reliant elite that has nothing in common with ordinary Canadians.
Before a backdrop of children playing hockey and musical instruments, and standing with some "typical" Canadian families, Mr. Harper promised to introduce a new tax credit of up to $500 for music, art and drama lesson fees for children under 16.
It would be similar to the $500 Children's Fitness Tax Credit his party introduced after the last election for children who participate in sports.
He said both tax credits would be made fully refundable for low-income families.
Mr. Harper also promised to let charities and not-for-profit groups set up registered education savings plans for children from low-income families.
"Giving working families a break is one of the most important Conservative priorities," Mr. Harper told a news conference in Ottawa. "The credit will apply on up to $500 of eligible fees for children under 16 who participate in eligible arts activities."
Mr. Harper has also been under fire from arts groups for $45-million in cuts to arts and culture funding.
"Today's announcement shows, as I've been saying, that this government in fact does support culture and the arts," said Mr. Harper.
Last week, the Conservative Leader said "ordinary working people" were unable to relate to taxpayer-subsidized cultural elites when they see them at a "rich gala" on television.
Tax experts said a $500 tax credit on arts activity fees would likely translate into a maximum $75 for families.
"When we talk about credits and the actual impact of ... credits in the tax system, we're not talking about [getting] $500 in your pocket," said Cleo Hamel, a senior tax analyst with H&R Block. "Because it's a credit, it's only going to be a percentage that they make available to you based on a maximum $500 to start with, and it's usually based on the lowest tax rate."
With the lowest tax rate set at 15 per cent, what looks like a $500 bouquet becomes a $75 arrangement. That cash comes off of the tax bill people owe the government.
At Kelowna Music School, artistic director Lorna Paterson applauded the idea, even if the dollar value doesn't amount to much. At her school, a session's worth of music classes for five-year-olds costs $165, and she says they are already handing out bursaries to help families get their children involved.
The credit is worth an estimated $150-million a year.