Madam Chairman, the minister has had the opportunity to express himself on a lot of different topics today. If I look at the list of the advertising sponsorships the government foots the bill for, I see in the year 1997-98, just choosing at random, the item radio spots. I will explain to the minister what a radio spot announcement is.
You are driving along and you hear a message aimed at people who like to fish. “If you are going fishing, when you pick up a worm to thread on your hook, start at the tail end, it's easier that way. The Government of Canada wishes you good fishing”.
Or another, from December 28. “Hare hunters, be sure you know the difference between a hare and a partridge, because the partridge season ends December 31. Happy hunting from the Government of Canada”.
Or, “We wish you a good festival, good strawberry picking, a good bike trip” and so on. We have $1.36 million worth of this for 1997-98.
If the government wanted to gain some good publicity, I would not object. I would not criticize it. Maybe it could put its little Canada flag on every little milk container it handed out to hungry school kids in the morning. There are 1.5 million poor people in Canada. Does the minister not think it would be more worthwhile to use the money for this than to say “Be sure you put your worm on from the right end”.
Here is a real opportunity, choices that are really up to the minister. I would like him to start by answering this question.