Mr. Speaker, thank you for giving me the opportunity to speak in today's adjournment debate.
On April 28, 2009, I asked a question in this House concerning this government's financial contributions to Canada Day celebrations. We know the federal government has a document on the funding it has provided to provincial and territorial celebrate Canada committees for the years 2003-04 to 2008-09. That document shows that Quebec received the biggest piece of the pie, we could say, since Quebec was given $3.2 million out of a budget of $3,766,000. The money was given to Quebec's provincial committee. A sum of $3.2 million out of a budget of $3,766,000; that equals 85% of the entire subsidy, of the entire program.
The pie was shared by Quebec, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, Ontario—Ontario received only $100,000. This must be the first time the government has not helped Ontario, although it gives billions of dollars to the auto industry while giving nothing to Quebec's forestry industry. For Canada Day, this government gives $100,000 to Ontario, and $3.2 million to Quebec—and by Manitoba, Saskatchewan, the Northwest Territories, Nunavut, British Columbia and Alberta—even Alberta, only $50,000—and Yukon, $20,000. In short, $3,766,000 in total, 85% of which was given to Quebec for its committees. Let me quote:
These amounts represent the usual operational contributions provided to Celebrate Canada committees and do not include other amounts that could be allocated for special initiatives such as the Year of the Veteran, the centennial celebrations of Alberta and Saskatchewan, and the 400th anniversary of Quebec City.
This really is just for Canada Day. It is a document produced by the government across the floor, the Conservative government, that comes directly from Canadian Heritage.
The minister to whom I posed the question in this House told me that my numbers were completely inaccurate. I asked him for permission to table the document in the House. He refused. I will ask the parliamentary secretary again in a moment.
I seek leave to table this chart in the House. This is a Canadian Heritage chart that clearly shows how the $3,766,000 budget was distributed to provincial and territorial celebrate Canada committees.
Very few programs allocate 85% of their budget to Quebec. Typically, that only happens with programs under which the Conservatives, like their Liberal predecessors, spend taxpayers' money to boost their visibility and spread their propaganda in Quebec.
As I said at the time, they are trying to shove the Canadian flag down Quebeckers' throats. They are taking advantage of Canada Day and spending millions of dollars to force the Canadian flag and their vision of Canadian unity on us.