Mr. Speaker, we are told that the partners who supposedly support the Canada Prize for the Arts were never consulted. Alain Dancyger, director of les Grands Ballets Canadiens, has been quoted as saying that he was very anxious to add the voice of les Grands Ballets to those of his colleagues, and to point out that, not only were les Grands Ballets never consulted, but also that the very fact of creating this fund and tieing up $25 million at a time when our companies and artists are likely to starve to death as a result of the cancellation of two key programs is disgraceful —not the Bloc's word, but his.
What is the minister's answer to all these critics of his program?