Back home in my riding, Radio-Canada has not had its newscast since 2018, despite the fact that the act states that every region must be represented. So there is a major problem. That's the Crown corporation. One can imagine just how vulnerable independent media have become. We're sharing a budget in which a major English-language player has taken 70% of the funds.
I want to ask you another question about regional festivals. We see that the department is increasingly withdrawing from this type of event. The very survival of what makes the regions diverse and beautiful depends on festivals in the villages. Whether it's the Foire gourmande or H2O le festival, these organizations have lost a tremendous amount of funding, particularly because you believe that an artist must absolutely come from the region.
However, there are fewer artists in Abitibi‑Témiscamingue. The vitality of our festivals and their ability to attract crowds depend in particular on the presence of nationally renowned artists, such as those from Quebec. In Ottawa, Quebec is considered a region, but an artist from Montreal performing in Ville‑Marie is not considered a local artist. They cannot receive funding, and it cannot contribute to the success of an event.
Festival funding has been cut, which means the very survival of these tourism events is at stake.
When will you restore funding for our major cultural events in the regions?