Radio-Canada, Telefilm Canada, NFB: where is the promised funding?

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 12, 2016

OTTAWA – After new spending for Canada’s cultural sector was announced in the last federal budget, the NDP is disappointed to see that the latest documents tabled by the Treasury Board make no mention of this reinvestment.

“The Liberal government made significant promises to our cultural sector and after a decade of starving it under the Conservatives, some of our most important institutions are in need of oxygen,” said NDP Culture and Heritage critic Pierre Nantel (Longueuil-St-Hubert).

The supplementary estimates (A) 2016-2017, tabled this week by the President of the Treasury Board to obtain budget allocations, makes no mention of the Liberals’ spending promises – $75 million for Radio-Canada, $2 million for Telefilm Canada and $1.5 million for the National Film Board.

“Was the Heritage Minister taken for a ride by the Treasury Board? How does she explain to the cultural sector that they will still have to wait?”, asked Nantel in Parliament.

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For more information, please contact:

NDP Media Centre: 613-222-2351 or npdcom@parl.gc.ca