Mr. Speaker, the member said that he is proud of what his government has done for heritage, but I do not see how he can be proud when every artist in Quebec and Canada is in desperate straits. They are begging the government to help them carry on touring internationally.
It is true that the current government has some funding programs to help certain segments of the cultural sector travel abroad. However, there is a gaping hole when it comes to theatre, music and especially dance companies. They no longer have access to any funding programs to help them tour internationally. That is not right. It is just not right for the government to cut $45 million from those programs, then turn around and give $25 million to the Canada Prizes for the Arts and Creativity, a boondoggle meant to bring artists here.