Senator Gold: Again with respect, Senator Housakos, there is a long-standing practice and rule about message stage, so I am not avoiding answering questions that I “don’t want to answer,” but they are not questions that are raised in the message and that are the proper subject of debate.

Similarly, Bill C-11, even before we amended it, had recognized the presence of Indigenous artists, creators and broadcasting entities and companies. It was strengthened by Senator Clement’s amendments, and the bill has been improved as a result.

Your question about funding for a particular organization clearly belies and ignores the fact that this government has done more to advance reconciliation, though there is an enormous amount of work still to be done. Again, it is only out of respect for the importance of the issue you raised and not the pertinence of the question that I offer that observation.