Thank you.
I notice that the music fund this year in 2009 is $27.6 million. That's about $10 million more than 2001--remember, I'm a New Democrat, not a Conservative--and that is $4 million more than 2005. Having said that, yes, there is a big cut of $1.25 million off the diversity funds. You can hear from my questions from previous panels that I'm very much opposed to this fund. Thinking about how we move forward in a 2010 budget, this upcoming budget, the Canada Council has a commitment of $181 million, including $25 million in new funding.
If, in the ideal situation, the Canada Council received an extra, say, $2 million for specialized music distribution and specialized sound recording grants for those who are dealing with contemporary Canadian compositions and spoken words, music, all of the things that diversity funds used to fund, would that get us out of the jam of having all the most creative, edgy, or beginning artists--over a hundred of them--being unable to get some grants to get themselves started?
Having asked about the best way forward, would that be the best way? Or should it be restored as part of the $26.6-million Canada Music Fund? Or should it, in an ideal world, come through the Canada Council in an increase of, say, $1.5 million?