Mr. Speaker, committed to literacy by cutting? I agree with refocusing, yes, but I do not see how cutting will get us to a comprehensive plan.
I would like some clarification on funding for literacy. The minister told the House on September 26, “we are spending over $80 million a year on literacy programs for adults”. In fact, I think the minister's own briefing notes, which I have here, state that the spending is “$81 million over two years in adult learning, literacy and essential skills”.
Could the parliamentary secretary explain this discrepancy? The government estimates we reviewed do not add up to $81 million a year. In fact, it would appear to be the same failed level of funding that we had before.
We have been told that the minister did not meet with groups before making these cuts. I meet with these groups on a daily basis when I travel across the country with the parliamentary secretary. I wonder what she would suggest I tell these groups about the government's vision to develop, not just bits and pieces, but a comprehensive plan to address the huge inequity that is growing in Canada due to low literacy levels.