Mr. Speaker, yesterday, after the estimates were tabled, we learned that the Minister of Canadian Heritage was continuing to make cuts in culture and communications.
First there was the Canadian Television Fund saga and then the 50% cut in Canada's budget for magazines. Now it is the CBC's turn to suffer budget cuts to the tune of $10 million of the supplementary $60 million the Canadian Heritage Minister announced in March.
The new season at CBC has started and it seems incomprehensible that Canadian Heritage could have had $60 million for the CBC in March and only $50 million by September.
How can we expect CBC officials to do a better job when there are such inconsistencies? These cuts will translate into job losses, fewer CBC regional services and cancellation expenses for existing arrangements.
The minister's current response does not bode well for her response to the report on the Broadcasting Act, which recommends providing stable funding to the CBC, does it?