Mr. Speaker, I understand the concerns the member has raised. We have a disagreement about what the purpose of sponsorship programs is.
The program gives the Government of Canada an opportunity to raise awareness of its programs and services through its support of worthy cultural, sporting and community organizations and activities all across Canada.
In September 2002, the Government of Canada did sponsor the CFL for the two final games and the Grey Cup for $1.2 million, for visibility reasons and to advertise our website, as well as the 1-800-OCANADA number. The results from that, and the feedback, are absolutely astounding.
I think the best way that I can convince this member about the importance of our sponsorship program and about the services that we provide is to invite him to join me for a personal tour of our cell banks, our call centre, and our sponsorship area, where he can see just how many Canadians value this very important service.