You appreciate them, but you do not understand them. Since your appointment, nothing you have done for Quebec artists meets their needs or addresses their concerns. As you know, seven programs were cut, which stirred up a major controversy during the last election campaign in September. Artists demanded that the funding to those seven programs be reinstated. These are not exorbitant amounts.
Among the questions I put to you in the House, I asked you what you had done with artists' money. That was on Thursday, November 20th. You answered, almost word for word, that the money had been transferred to the Olympic Torch Relay.
Last week, a study sponsored by the Department of Canadian Heritage was released showing that artists were living below the poverty line. They have no money and are generating no income. Besides, they have not chosen to become artists in order to make money, contrary to what you have said in your document. You want to invest in culture. Indeed, some areas are profitable. CINARS has recently demonstrated that in its special report entitled “Performing Arts in Peril”: some programs are profitable, particularly the Trade Routes program. However, profits do not drive artists to engage in their art, give performances, create and tour the world. They are passionate about what they do. Simply put, culture does not exist for the future, but in and of itself.
You say that your government has made unprecedented investments in the arts and culture. I would also remind you that no other Canadian government has spent as much as yours for national defence and military missions abroad. In my view, that is not a criteria. Of course, you are increasing spending, and that is all fine and well.
Furthermore, you are investing $25 million for the Canada prizes for the arts and creativity, which are intended to reward foreign artists.
I want to come back to the program. I have gotten carried away, and I want to give you some time to respond. I want to know where to find the analyses. I am asking you to provide us with the analyses that justified those program cuts. Because, once again, you have made drastic and unjustified cuts.