Mr. Speaker, whatever the minister may say, it is obvious that her department's budget for francophones outside Quebec has been reduced considerably.
It was $28 million in 1995 and it will be $21 million in 1999, a decrease of 20%. Funds for the ACFO have been reduced by 10% and those for francophones in Saskatchewan have been cut in half. Examples like this can be found across Canada.
Does the heritage minister believe that it is by cutting essential funds for the francophone and Acadian communities that she will help them solve their assimilation problem?