Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Thank you for your presentation. I am wondering what the reason for today's meeting is, if only to criticize the government. That is good in itself, but I am not sure how that can help museums.
Following your appearance earlier this year, before the summer recess, all the committee passed a resolution that was put forward by my colleague Mr. Kotto, I believe. It urged the government to come forward with the new museum policy quickly. This resolution was tabled in the House and passed unanimously.
However, with the cutbacks that were announced in September, things turned for the worst. I agree with you, Mr. Vadeboncoeur, that funding must be increased and it must be multi-year funding. Funding was in fact discussed during the consultations held during the two years we were in government.
These consultations resulted in a consensus, and we were about to adopt a new museum policy or at least come forward with it. We find it surprising when people tell us now that this could take another year or two. That is why we tabled a motion to urge the government to come forward with a new policy, because it has all the tools it needs to do that.
I know that some of you felt betrayed when the budget cutbacks were announced in September. Furthermore, the committee was given some figures that did not correspond with the actual situation. I tried to get the figures. I want to make sure that my figures and yours are the same.
These are the figures I got from the departmental officials, and a representative from the minister's office was present as well.
During the current fiscal year, the government must get $600,000 from the funds that have not yet been allocated and $1.7 million from already-allocated funds, in the hope that the $9.4 million will not all have been spent. The other amount—and this is where there is some confusion, is for Young Canada Works, and has already been spent.
Are your figures the same as mine?