Thank you, sir.
Indeed all kinds of members, including the Minister of Heritage, have put out press releases on that vote, explaining why they voted against it. This is a matter of perception, and there are concerns among Canadians in terms of having the government vote against maintaining Canadian content, especially in view of the debate, where it was very clearly indicated that we're not asking for things to be fixed as they are, but there's room for strengthening and innovation, and we shouldn't be going backwards.
It's the same thing with maintaining the restrictions on foreign ownership in cultural industries. I think there is a great deal of concern about that in the country. It's the same thing with the maintenance of financial support for public broadcasting, especially in view of what's on the record, Mr. Chairman, in terms of the dissenting opinion for the Lincoln report on public broadcasting in this country and on broadcasting, public and private, where the current parliamentary secretary to the minister basically advocated for the privatization of the CBC.
In view of the concerns out there, Mr. Chairman, as the spokesman for the opposition, I have the right to point out that the government voted against. That's what I did, and for them to take offence at that baffles me. Mr. Abbott is baffled as to why I would put out a press release; I'm as baffled as to why he would take offence that I may have an opinion that differs from his.