Mr. Chair, I thank my hon. colleague for his question. We are very fortunate that our critics are a thespian, a musician and a former CRTC commissioner. There is no doubt that cultural issues are very dear to us.
My first aim is to reassure. Thanks to the Tomorrow Starts Today program, the Council for the Arts received $25 million. That is why we should renew the program, which will expire in 2005. It is also why the community is so concerned. We want to reassure them but we also understand their concern. That is the first thing
I also want to say that our current estimates are part of the reallocation. The Council for the Arts will not have to spend anything on this reallocation. Indeed, the Council manages with approximately 11% or 12% and, year after year, our internal auditors consistently say it is doing extraordinary work. It takes the money and injects it right back into the community.
We must protect the Council for the Arts. I agree.
Let us move on to the status of the artist. My colleague makes a very good point. Indeed, we must realize that our artists, despite their high education, make an average of $23,500, which comes down to 26% less than the average Canadian. There is no denying this.
Those who say we need to increase and support measures aimed at supporting our artists, are absolutely right. We need to keep on doing it together.