Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you to all of you for coming. I think your input today is invaluable in moving forward with drafting a new museums policy.
I want to go back for a second to comments Mr. Bélanger and Mr. Angus made regarding the possible underfunding of the programs, or perhaps the failure to spend the total budget for MAP. I can't tell you why that may or may not have happened.
There was a comment from Mr. Osmond, as well, that he's been working for ten years, presenting the same arguments to the government at this table, and nothing has really changed. Again, I can't tell you why that happened. Presumably, you'd have to ask the previous government, the previous minister, who I believe was Ms. Frulla.
I do know that there appears to be general consensus at this table that we do move forward with a new museums policy. Having heard your discussion and your input here, one set of comments, to me, was very instructive, which doesn't diminish the rest of your information.
Mr. McAvity I think touched on something really important. When the finance minister and the Treasury Board president talked about trimming the fat, Minister Flaherty also explained what he meant by that term. He focused on, first of all, eliminating programs that were obsolete. He talked about eliminating programs that don't reflect current Canadian priorities. But he also talked about refocusing resources and making sure we have programs that deliver clear and measurable results.
Mr. McAvity, you actually mentioned that. You talked about what you'd like to see us do going forward, and I'd like to touch on that. You mentioned a number of things. One of your colleagues referred to predictable multi-year funding. You referred to tax incentives. You talked about getting a better handle on capital funding, perhaps on a ten-year program. You talked about external evaluation of programs, which I think is important as well. Also, you talked about public-private partnerships.
I think that is the kind of information we are really looking for here. Even though I've only been on this committee for some eight months, you're bringing a wealth of experience to the table. I believe there is goodwill not only at this table but at the minister's level to move forward with this.
We've talked about some of the financial aspects of your challenges. Mr. McAvity, could you give me some additional things you would like to see in a museums policy that don't necessarily affect the funding aspect of it--and I understand that is important--perhaps some other aspects that would make the program more accountable and more efficient in delivering what it's supposed to?