I'm very pleased to have everyone here today.
I'll say at the outset that I used to knock on FACTOR's door, and sometimes FACTOR closed the door and sometimes FACTOR opened the door, which is the role of any good funding agency. My children, who read the New Musical Express from England as if it were the Bible, have listed the ten coolest things in the world, and one was Canada because of Canada's ongoing support for music, which is unparalleled by any other country.
So I want to say that at the beginning, because I think the issue that we have to stay focused on here today is not the fight between FACTOR and the Canada Council or MUSICACTION, it's the larger question of the ecosystem of music in Canada and how we balance that. I have spoken with many artists and many festival promoters on this, and they are very clear about the role. I know the English scene better, so I know FACTOR and the importance of FACTOR but also the importance of the Canada Council. To me, I'm hearing a very clear issue. The loss of the diversity fund will impact and have a cost. I know you're non-political and that's very important, but in terms of making the decision, your expertise would have been heard from. Were you asked whether you can take this fund or assume this role? Was that part of the discussion?