Thank you, Chair.
My point stands. I'm a bit dumbfounded or baffled—not surprised—and saddened and grieved by the disingenuous nature of my NDP and Liberal colleagues on the fact that they claim to stand up for these local newspapers.
Day after day after day, Mr. Julian—he just did it a few moments ago—pretends to be standing up for the Saskatchewan newspapers and the Alberta newspapers, these organizations or news businesses that are trying really hard just to make a go of it, yet he has withdrawn his motion that actually would have made a meaningful difference and instead has succumbed to Liberal pressure in still insisting that there would be two full-time journalists.
We know how this is going to go. We know that the NDP, the Liberals and likely the Bloc will all vote in favour of NDP-16 and likely unfortunately will shut down CPC-19, but let it be stated on the record that CPC-19 was the only amendment put forward that truly stood up for the small newspaper organizations and ethnic media, those organizations that the minister claimed this bill was meant to help.
In fact, this bill has been absolutely gutted and placed in favour of the large broadcasters and large newspaper conglomerates. That's a sad day for Canadians.