I will try to be brief, Mr. Chairman.
Listening to you, Mr. Scott, a thought came to mind. I will share that thought with you, and then, I will ask my question of Mr. Simpson or perhaps even both of you.
You spoke about a culture that is typical of Newfoundland, of Acadian culture and the culture of New Brunswick. We, in Quebec, talk about our francophone culture. I tell myself that we wanted so badly to make this country, Canada, a great melting pot that we suppressed all of the cultures in order to make a single one, Canadian culture, forgetting that there are particularities within each of the regions. Having said that, I think that Canadian culture is now facing a serious problem. It will soon drown in American culture if Canadians do not take care and do not quite frankly go in a new whole new direction, as Quebec did at one time. That does not mean that one should become separatist, it means that we must want to define who we are in each of our respective regions. The ball is now in your court, ladies and gentlemen.
My question is for Mr. Simpson. You advocated a regular review of the CBC's mandate. I already know what the answer will be, but I would like to hear it. Currently, does the CBC consult you regarding the funds it receives from the public, money coming from taxpayers, and regarding its programming and the use it makes of these taxpayers' funds? Have you been consulted? If yes, in what way? If not, how would you like such a consultation to be done?