Mr. Speaker, my colleague has described exactly what our regions and smaller centres are currently feeling: a genuine loss of confidence that this government will save a significant pillar of democracy.
Local media cannot simply be a sort of antenna that transmits what is happening in Montreal, Quebec City and Toronto. They must also have the ability to cover the news, share information, and showcase the reality of the regions they represent. That is what we are in the process of losing. We are losing the personality of our regions, which is so vitally important. What makes Quebec Quebec is the unique character of the regions, each of which is different from every other.
The media is a critical pillar of democracy, but we are losing it because the government is undermining the private broadcasters that provide high-quality news services. This is an absolute tragedy. I do not understand how this government, which claims to be a champion of democracy and the media, can fail to grasp the urgency of the situation.