Madam Speaker, it hurts me to listen to the Conservative member reciting the party mantra. There is nothing new in what she said. It is still a mistake to think that increasing the budget of the Department of Canadian Heritage will increase funding for artists. In fact, this government cut the PromArt program, which provided essential funding for international tours. CINARS, for example, which is made up of 300 performing arts organizations across Canada, is complaining about these cuts. The $2 million they received in tour funding allowed them to mount thousands of international tours. As a results of the cuts, 600 tours will be cancelled and some cultural agencies and industries will no doubt be forced to close.
When this government talks about restraining spending, we can see the Reform Party thinking behind it. When it talks about maximum benefit for taxpayers, that means cuts for artists. We can read between the lines.