Mr. Speaker, the fact remains that La Liberté, as a result of the change in this formula, will lose 50% of its funding, the oldest francophone newspaper in western Canada, a pillar of the francophonie in Manitoba.
There is no two ways about it. Sophie Gaulin, the head of La Liberté, has been quoted as saying that it will have a huge impact.
The same change has affected French language newspapers in Alberta; Manitoba, as we have pointed out; Sudbury, Ontario; and Nova Scotia. This is not a good news story. While other publications may be benefiting, the fact that francophone publications in western Canada, particularly that La Liberté is losing out, is something that the government must look at.
I do know that the MP in the area, the member for Saint Boniface, has raised this as well. I wish the government would actually listen to the people of Saint Boniface and the people of Manitoba and go back on their cuts to La Liberté.