Mr. Speaker, the cultural community is dismayed over the recent budget. Despite the promises made by the Liberals in the red book and the last throne speech, the heritage department's budget for programs and institutions will be cut by 30 per cent over four years.
My question is for the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Canadian Heritage. How can the minister explain to the cultural community that she was unable to protect the budget for culture, which will be cut by 8 per cent more than the national defence budget?