Thank you.
I would like to thank my colleague for laying the groundwork on the issue of the summative evaluation. This is what I find very confusing. I read the summative evaluation, and it did not lead to any of the conclusions I've heard from the department or from the minister.
The minister stated that this program, the diversity fund, was for artists who weren't interested in a commercial career, so that wasn't a priority for the government. But I didn't see that in the summative evaluation and I didn't hear that from any of the artists I spoke to. They seemed to feel this was an important key in building that.
Who offered the advice? FACTOR said they weren't asked. The Canada Council wasn't asked. Who looked at those and said to the minister that this is a redundant fund, these artists are musical welfare bums—that seems to be the interpretation—and we can do better? Who gave that advice?