Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
In my humble opinion, there are always ways of introducing a motion of this nature. When a budget is in the drafting stages, pre-budget consultations are held. Representatives from a cross-section of society make presentations. I don't think the entire exercise takes longer than two weeks. Some government agencies dedicated to arts and culture are in a deplorable state. Without going into more details, it seems that the further we advance, the more irresponsible our actions become.
One example that comes to mind in the Canada Council. For years now, this agency has been asking for additional funding of at least $150 million. This year, it was granted a paltry $50 million over two years. That's not an adequate level of funding.
Ultimately, the people in dire straights are the artists and creators who will be tempted to give up, spelling an end to the creativity that nourishes our collective psyche and moulds our identity. Least we forget, we have an important mandate to fulfil, namely to defend, not destroy, our culture.
Today, our neighbour to the south exports close to $7 billion in cultural products produced by artists and creators. The United States have their own production culture and we have ours. What sets us apart is that the State is always ready to jump in to assist, train and nurture our creative talent. If we abdicate responsibility, what kind of message would we be sending to those who defend our language, identity and cultural sovereignty? That's our fundamental goal. There's always a way to bring in this type of motion. We're not asking for a study, or to start over again at the very beginning. Studies have already been done.
Mention was made earlier of museums. The Canadian Museums Association has already examined the situation of museums at considerable length. The last government did some studies that are now gathering dust on some government shelves. It wouldn't take long to compile and analyze some of this data. It's not like we're starting out with a blank slate. Some work has already been done. We simply need to find a way to... The timetable is not a sticking point for me. This work can in fact be done when we reconvene after the break.