Mr. Speaker, we are talking about programs that service young people. That is what our focus has to be. The fact that those programs have to be committed to a vision of inclusion, I have no problem with.
This is a fundamental question. What we have seen from the Conservatives today is that they are saying that signing is an issue about the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, that it is an attack on the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. That to me is illogical. They have also suggested that their solution would be to simply say that it is a charitable organization. Well, I am sorry but just because one gets charitable status does not mean that one should get money to help young people. I would not give it to the Fraser Institute, although God knows how it managed to get charitable status in the first place.
Then I heard the Conservatives suggest earlier today they thought that with the charitable status, they could start going after groups for their charitable status. Whoa, who invented that? It was the Conservatives who attacked groups like Environmental Defence, and attacked PEN, the international organization representing the rights of imprisoned authors. They were being attacked by the Conservatives under the CRA for what they said was political meddling.
I think that the Conservatives have used this as a proxy war to fight with the Liberals. Let us stay focused on the need to ensure that young people have access to good opportunities in the summer.