Official Languages committee  We have five papers. Out of the five papers, only one receives funding. We have a paper called North Shore News, which is published in the Rosemere-Deux Montagnes area. In that area, we are accessing a fund of about $4,000 a year in order to increase our distribution by 5,000 cop

Official Languages committee  I think two of the most important I talked about today are as follows. One, I think the federal government should support minority newspapers in Quebec the way it supports minority newspapers outside Quebec. That's one way. That's a very concrete way. Two, I think in Quebec, be

Official Languages committee  I find that acceptable under certain circumstances. There are newspapers out there that look like they meet the criteria, but if you look closely you'll find many discrepancies in their numbers, their circulation, and so on. That might make the minister decide not to grant the...

Official Languages committee  I don't believe that more than 25 of them have more than 2,500 subscribers. We have some very small papers in small communities in rural areas of Quebec. These papers are still being supported by this program and they are very grateful for that. I would say that out of our whole

Official Languages committee  Do you mean of those that are receiving the fund?

Official Languages committee  All of the ones receiving the fund are selling more than 2,500 papers a year. There isn't a problem there. I think our smallest newspaper produces maybe 600 or 700 copies a week. Even if you multiply that by 52, it surpasses 2,500 papers a year.

Official Languages committee  The rest of the papers that don't receive the fund have circulations anywhere between 10,000 copies and 30,000 copies, but because their distribution is controlled, we are not selling the papers. It's difficult to sell a paper when you're giving it out for free somewhere else. Y

Official Languages committee  In order to do that you'd have to do something very foolish.

Official Languages committee  That's a very good question. I don't know.

Official Languages committee  I think it's going to the daily paper.

Official Languages committee  No, sir. Our association, QCNA, has about 35 newspapers. We work very closely with the APF and we are very good friends. The APF, Association de la presse francophone, which is outside of Quebec, has the same membership as us. We're basically exactly the same.

Official Languages committee  No, what I did talk about was federal spending in Quebec when it comes to advertising. I have a graph here from Public Works Canada showing the expenditures in newspapers, radio, and TV between 2004 and 2009. In 2004-05, newspapers in Quebec received $868,000 in advertising. I

Official Languages committee  So while the government is doubling the budget and spending more on advertising in minority language papers in Quebec, it's not coming to us. We had a 75% decrease, while the budget doubled.

Official Languages committee  There are two English daily papers in Quebec. One is the Sherbrooke Record, which is a member of our association, so I know it's not going to them. The other one is The Gazette, and I have no way of knowing if the money is going to them or where it's going. I don't have that info

Official Languages committee  You did.