Thank you very much.
I will only speak a few minutes on the impact the Court Challenges Program has had on the rights of linguistic minorities across Canada. My work has already been done. If you have had the opportunity to read the report prepared by the Commissioner of Official Languages, you will have seen that it includes a very useful schedule, prepared by Mr. Roy, with lists the key language rights cases that were funded by the Court Challenges Program, for either the Anglophone minority in Quebec or Francophones outside Quebec, including in the provinces and territories.
I will only name the cases, such as Doucet-Boudreau, which was a case from Nova Scotia and was heard by the Supreme Court of Canada in 2003. It is a landmark case for all people living in minority situations in Canada: for Francophones, because it is a case from Nova Scotia, but also for anglophones and other minorities, given that the Supreme Court imposed a preservation right, a right to monitor the protection and implementation of decisions rendered.
The Montfort Hospital—I will repeat it, I apologize, Ms. Lalonde—is the only Francophone hospital in Ottawa. It is a teaching hospital. Ms. Lalonde will talk about the efforts made by the community to save the hospital with support and financial assistance from the Court Challenges Program.
Arsenault-Cameron v. Prince Edward Island is another major case, in that it yet again strengthens the right of Francophone minorities to have their own schools in accordance with section 23 of the Charter. That was another case that was funded by the Court Challenges Program.
R. v. Beaulac was a criminal case, but a criminal case that has impact on all minority right holders, francophone and anglophone, the right to be heard and the right of an accused to be heard, to have a fair hearing in the language of his own choice by someone, a décideur who understands and who can rule.
There are so many key cases that I would never have the time. I invite you to look at them. What will be the impact of the closing of the program? There are already 38 cases pending before various levels of appeal that are not going to be financed further. These are cases in peril. There are cases concerning anglophone education in Quebec.
There is the case of Chubbs v. Newfoundland and Labrador. That's another extraordinarily important case. If this case goes on to appeal further--and it will--there's no financing. The government said on September 25 that there would be no new financing. They could not finance cases beyond the level they were currently at before the program.
La Fédération FrancoTénoise v. Canada. This case took from 1999 to 2006 to get a decision in first instance. It's determining the rights of the francophonie and the obligations of the Government of Canada and the territories. A decision was just rendered in this case in 2006 by Hon. Judge Mary Moreau favouring the Fédération FrancoTénoise and saying yes, the government is an institution that has obligations in this regard. This case is in peril.
There are so many cases. R. v. Caron is another one from Alberta. This case has been funded up to a certain level and will fall. You might realize what it's doing to the right holders of our country, the minority language right holders, and as well, our section 15 right holders, when a program like the court challenges program is cancelled in this manner.
Merci beaucoup.