Good morning. Welcome.
Thank you very much for your presentations. I found them all very informative.
It's particularly interesting today. I have an affinity, of course, with Dr. Graham and Dr. O'Donnell. I'm a graduate of Concordia University, arguably, I might say, the best university in Canada, but I'm very biased.
Mr. Gates, welcome back to the Hill, sir. I know you've worked here for some time as an interpreter for the House and for the Senate. You are here in a different role today.
I find it a little bit of an oxymoron, or very difficult, to use the words “minority communities” in Canada when we speak of the French-speaking community or the English-speaking community across the country, given that the founders of this land were English people and French people. But here we are today, it's the reality, and we have to refer to you as a minority. I'm almost apologetic when I use the word “minority” because I don't think you should feel like a minority group anywhere you live in Canada. That is the thing that I believe is the goal, if you will, of the road map.
The road map represents an investment of over $1 billion for our government, specifically to address the very issue of vitality and vibrancy and long-term success, if you will, of the English-speaking community in Quebec and the French-speaking community everywhere else.
We are studying it. We're about 80% into it now. It is going to expire in 2013. We don't know what the next phase of it will be, whether we'll call it the road map or something else, but hearing from groups such as yours today, all of the groups, about the importance the road map has played in the programs that you have initiated and in helping you with your good work, it's obvious that we need a replacement, if not a continuation of the road map right now.
This is the first question I'd like to ask—and I don't think I'm going to have time for many questions given that we only have about five minutes each here. Assuming that we continue with the road map or something to replace it, where would you focus? There is a question of sustainability of funds. You want sustainable funds to be able to continue the programs you have, but in addition to that, are there some new initiatives that you will be focusing on that you'd like to see in your organizations that can be enhanced by the provision of more funding through the road map or the continuation of another program of some sort?