Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
And thank you very much, witnesses, for coming in.
Personally, I actually look at vertical integration as an incredible opportunity. I agree with the comments made by Mr. Maavara that scale is needed, mass is needed, if we're going to project Canadian programming and create opportunities, and also compete on what is very much a global market, where people have choices and can make choices as to what their entertainment selection is going to be, and that choice is broader all the time.
Incidentally, Mr. Maavara, you'll be happy to learn that when I do have the opportunity to watch Durham County—and I'm several episodes behind, so I don't want you to tell me what's happening right now—I watch it on demand because my schedule doesn't allow me otherwise.
I think one of the things I really believe firmly is that the idea of needing to create a stage—which is I think what the Canadian government invests an awful lot of money into—versus the need to invest in content, which is something we invest less money into, has actually changed. I think if we go back and look at how important it was that Canadian signals were actually out there and were able to compete and reach Canadian households and so forth, at one time that was a role for the government, because nobody else was going to do it.
You've properly indicated that there is a multitude of channels, more all the time. In fact, anyone can be a broadcaster. I can broadcast this afternoon on YouTube if I choose. So there are all kinds of choices.
I'm just asking an opinion—this is not a government policy, obviously—but do you think it's time that the Canadian government looks at it and says maybe it's time we get out of the broadcasting business and get into investing more money into content? We invest over a billion government dollars, as you know, into a stage, when in fact the private sector would not only make use of that stage...they have so many already, and reinvest all of those dollars into Canadian content. I see major blockbuster films being made in this country. I see creators with so much talent. I see a world that is begging for good-quality content. You've adequately pointed out that there are major companies out there that will gobble this stuff up. Is that where we should be looking? Is that kind of the next century? Is that where Canada should be looking for opportunity?