Canadian Heritage committee  I would add that the plan we put in place two years ago is leading us toward a quite substantial digital shift. The new funding will enable us to achieve that and to see it through. So when you say, “CBC/Radio-Canada, champion of digital”, I say: absolutely. When we talk about the future of local news—because it is this committee's objective to find solutions to that issue—CBC/Radio-Canada on a digital platform is a solution to that problem, a solution that is good and efficient and that people are eager to see.

Canadian Heritage committee  Could you clarify your question? Are you referring to what we were discussing earlier? Are you talking about Internet access in general or the services we provide?

Canadian Heritage committee  Generally speaking, everyone who has Internet access has access to all CBC/Radio-Canada services. They are in a region that we serve since we serve all regions across the country. Consequently, it is hard for me to be any more specific than that. I think the major issue is obviously Canadians' access to broadband Internet.

Canadian Heritage committee  We are pleased to hear that.

Canadian Heritage committee  Thank you for your question. As I said earlier, approximately $3 million will be reinvested in regional services across the country this year. With regard to news for minority communities, we have 13 television stations outside Montreal, seven of which are located outside Quebec.

Canadian Heritage committee  For the regions, we get a similar amount, but I would say that budgets on the French side are applied to the priorities on the French side, and budgets on the English side are applied to the priorities on the English side. In this case, for the first year, it is a similar amount.

Canadian Heritage committee  For the regional services, it is about $3 million that will be applied for the first year of the reinvestment.

Canadian Heritage committee  Yes.

Canadian Heritage committee  Thank you very much for that comment. That is very kind. I would add that, with regard to the digital shift, our first priority was to train employees and to ensure that those who were with us were familiar with the business, mission, and values of the public broadcaster so that they could make the shift to new technologies and new tools.

Canadian Heritage committee  Allow me to add that the three objectives for our regional services are as follows. The first is to make the digital shift. Here I am echoing what Mr. Cormier said on this point. In each of our major regions, we have to ensure that we are active on the Internet with our regional websites 18 hours a day, seven days a week, covering the news when it happens, and that we are there for Canadians in their regions with regional content when they decide to access our digital platforms.

Canadian Heritage committee  I would like to answer that question. I do not know whether you were referring to the French newscast or just the English one, but the people who present the news at six o'clock in the francophone markets are very much sought after on the other platforms, whether it be social media, radio, or the afternoon programs.

Canadian Heritage committee  I would like to add that, if you go into a regional CBC or Radio-Canada station, such as the one in Ottawa, for example, and look at how we operate, you will see that our activities are entirely integrated. In other words, the boundaries between web, television, and radio in a single station are increasingly blurred.

Canadian Heritage committee  High-speed Internet access in remote regions is still an issue for all Canadians and the country as a whole. It is not simply an issue for CBC/Radio-Canada. At the same time, high-speed Internet access is expanding. Our priority is to be able to offer content as this service becomes available to Canadians.

Canadian Heritage committee  I am very proud that we are still providing services to francophones in Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Alberta. As part of the digital shift we have started, we will be expanding our web-based production, from morning to evening, seven days a week. We still provide radio services to francophones in those provinces.