Canadian Heritage committee  It had to do with distribution.

Canadian Heritage committee  Distribution is one part of the $1.3 million. The Distribution Service has existed for many years and it is managed by the Canadian Music Centre on behalf of the Canada Council. This service created an international network for distributing small catalogues by consolidating the catalogues of 200 publishers.

Canadian Heritage committee  We did not specifically say in our letter to Minister Moore that the money should go to the Canada Council. We've taken that for granted. We just said it's $1.3 million, and surely to God in the next budget you can find that to prevent the disappearance of something that is important.

Canadian Heritage committee  Yes, it's an idea we will certainly fully support as well. From all the information we have, it should remain with the Canada Council, because this is not an issue of pitching FACTOR or MUSICACTION against the Canada Council. They are operating under different circumstances, with different mandates, under different criteria, and it is not taking anything off FACTOR to say their concerns are not with this sort of developmental money.

Canadian Heritage committee  No, I am not aware of this. It is normal not to consult an organization such as ours regarding the renewal of some specific program. When the news came out, during the summer, I was on vacation. We found the press release a few weeks later. Actually, summer is often a calm period for artistic organizations.

Canadian Heritage committee  As I said at the outset, the mandate of our organization is not specifically that narrow. We really embrace the whole kitty. We're intervening here on the issue of principle. I cannot tell how many artists will be affected. Others have, and it's on the record. They're in a much better position to do that.

Canadian Heritage committee  Not that I am aware of—except, as I said, if organizations like the Canada Council are also asked to take from Peter to feed Paul. If we're talking about redirections within the envelopes, that's indeed the approach that seems to have been taken in this case, for whatever reasons.

Canadian Heritage committee  Mr. Chairman, members of the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage, as has just been said, my name is Alain Pineau and I am the National Director of the Canadian Conference of the Arts, or the CCA. I would like to thank you for giving the CCA this opportunity to intervene as part of your study on the recent cuts to the musical diversity support programs.

Finance committee  Well, I'll address only the $40 million that we're talking about in developing foreign markets. I would tell your constituency that this is a government priority, and if you need arguments to support that, that's what we're here for. I'm not going to do that in the three seconds I have here, but I can provide you with all the information.

Finance committee  Absolutely. That's the positive side of the negative side of the cultural sector. Creating jobs in this sector is not a very costly proposition because artists and people working in the cultural sector generally do not earn a great deal. I'm not saying that they should continue to live in poverty.

Finance committee  Yes, in fact we can. I can't quote you all of the figures off the top of my head, but I do know that depending on the sector or method of calculation used, we can expect to see either a full return, or double or double and a half return on the investment. There is some disagreement as to the exact figures.

Finance committee  Mr. Chair, members of the committee, my name is Alain Pineau. I am the National Director of the Canadian Conference of the Arts, the oldest and most broadly based cultural umbrella organization. The CCA provides a national forum for the entire cultural community: heritage, arts and culture.

Finance committee  I would address the issue from another viewpoint, even though I may come to the same conclusion. We consider that an investment in creativity, in cultural products and cultural expression is something fundamental. The federal government has an important role to play in that regard.

Finance committee  If there are more sensible projects that can enable us to see more cultural products on our screens, absolutely.

Finance committee  We should analyze why it's not doing well.