This type of funding certainly allows for better financial planning. Ordinarily this takes place in five-year cycles. In the immediate future, we are in a position of uncertainty and we are wondering what funding there will be next year. As I said earlier, $4.9 million was fine in 2002, but in 2024 the same amount means that we will hire fewer instructors to teach French courses. A $1,000 scholarship offered to a student in 2002 was more attractive than a scholarship of the same value in 2024.
We have to make cuts and make tough choices for our institution. We need to have stable funding, but it also has to be indexed to the cost of living. Costs and wages are rising. In New Brunswick, our electricity bill rose by 10% recently. This $80 million in funding would be extremely important, in that it would enable us to build up the base, plan our long-term needs, and invest properly in training.