Mr. Chair, I will not be sharing my time for this first turn. I will have just one intervention.
In this debate, we are trying to avoid getting stuck in the one-track approach of economism, which is the root of all evil and a source of anxiety, instability, insecurity and multiple cultural exclusions. When governments stop supporting culture, when culture in Quebec and Canada is completely dominated by the new Liberal dogmas of utilitarianism and adjustment, that will be the end.
Then, nothing will prevent the people from rushing into fast-food restaurants and Hollywood dominated cinema complexes, from overindulging in American culture, and dropping whatever critical thinking they have left, and no longer contributing in their own way to the preservation of their own cultural identity. We should never lose sight of the fact that we live in a situation that could increasingly be considered the stage of some yet unknown form of cultural darwinism.
Today, we no longer have the right to be gullible anymore. History, philosophy and all the social studies tell us that there has always been a natural human tendency to go along with things, to let somebody else make the decisions and chose their future identity for them.
The great strength of neo-liberal ideology lies in the fact that it managed to fully exploit this tendency by obtaining, via television, cinema and consumerism, something which no previous totalitarism has obtained before it, namely the consent of its victims. In the Bloc, we are not the accomplices of our potential executioners and we will not be.
In addition, we will not be party to any questioning of any vision, orientation or measure that would weaken, shake or destroy the field of culture, already exposed to decay. The quality of culture has a price. Therefore, we are opposed to policy on culture being devoid of substance and “McDonaldized”. Culture must make a contribution to the quality of our lives. It must contribute to a strengthening of our specific identities. That's how we view this in the Bloc.
A world without culture is a world where ignorance and self-satisfaction produce only docile, americanized consumers, and not the lucid people and perceptive rebels we need so much.
In spite of the de facto trusteeship of Quebec—not for long, at least I hope so—I encourage the minister to aim high for the quality and quantity of cultural production. The reduction or withdrawal of means in the cultural field, as advocated by some, would only lead to a decrease in the quality and viability in cultural matters.
However, providing culture with better financial means is a priority because, contrary to what is advocated by some people, the focus of culture is not the individual but the elevation of the individual's soul and spirit.
I would like to mention a comment that has been going around for a while. Since last August, the Minister of Canadian Heritage has been talking about a possible Canadian cultural policy, which is an issue that we discussed recently in our debate on Bill C-18.
On October 28, the minister said to Nathalie Petrowski that such a cultural policy was one of her dreams. On November 9, she told the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television that we needed a Canadian cultural policy.
Clause 9 of Bill C-18 refers to the policy with respect to culture and says what it will be. What is this cultural policy the Minister of Canadian Heritage is talking about?
Are the $8 million dollar cuts at CBC, a reduction, in the last year, of 183 hours in the drama series on the French television, the translation of Canadian animation programs produced outside of Quebec and the direct cuts in the funding to creators, all elements of the cultural policy that the Minister of Canadian Heritage is contemplating?