I want to talk a bit about arts programs right across the country.
When we look at the estimates, we see a decrease of $24.8 million for the Canada arts presentation fund and a decrease of $7.7 million for the building communities through arts and heritage program. We see a decrease of $6.9 million for the Canada cultural spaces fund. Generally, decreases mean that the regions, including mine in British Columbia, thousands of kilometres from the major arts centre in eastern Canada, tend to suffer when there are cuts.
How do you justify the cuts in all those programs at a time when, as you mentioned in your initial presentation, Mr. Minister, we need arts and culture to unite us more than ever?