That amount was used for the infamous trade commissioners that Heritage Canada appointed or sent to work in certain Canadian embassies abroad. In reality, they were duplicating the work carried out by cultural attachés or advisors who didn't have the budgets or necessary resources to promote Canadian companies on the ground. And that does not include the trade commissioners that were operating in certain Canadian cities. The cost of that was enormous. The funding was used to help Canadian companies develop, but it was not really necessary. The money was not used appropriately.
In 2001, when I was a member of the task force, the plan that we brought forward provided for this funding to be paid directly to Canadian organizations, associations or companies for them to look after their own development and promote their own creative work and productions abroad. That recommendation was not acted on. Instead, the decision was made to put trade commissioners in Canadian embassies abroad, at tremendous cost. In my opinion, this was a source of waste within the department.
Now Canadian companies are being penalized in terms of their future development. No rationale has been given for that decision, in terms of the $2 or $3 million that was paid to Canadian companies.