The prime minister's office notes that this will not be a swanky affair. In fact, all these VIPs will be getting up to load up their own plates, buffet-style. Taxpayers will be covering the $25.95 cost per plate. Those who wish to share a bottle of wine will be asked to pay a modest $22 for their vintage of choice. As to the menu, the PMO helpfully provides the following . . .

... Since Jan. 1, Minister Moore has made six announcements handing out a total of $286,074 to arts and cultural groups. Today, it was Nova Scotia's turn to benefit with $62,500 for the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia, $100,000 for the Jazz East Rising Association, and $61,000 to the Scotia Chamber Players. Moore has also made a point of visiting some cultural institutions that were at the epicentre of the Tories political troubles in the last election with the cultural sector. Since the Minister Moore, last week, visited the National Theatre School  and the Musée d'art contemporain in Montreal and then touched down in Toronto to visit the Ontario Art Gallery, and the Wychwood Barns project of Toronto Artscape, a non-profit group artists find space to work...