Mr. Speaker, I am reading the letter sent to the minister of public works on May 30. It states “A number of organizations anticipating funding from the sponsorship program have already included this considerable amount in their budgeting. Depriving them of this source of funds in the short term would, without a doubt, be disastrous for a number of them”. These are his words, not mine.
In the House of Commons on June 3rd, 2002. See this statement in context.