Sure. Thank you, Chair.
Mr. Fraser, it's good to see you again. You are always very informative, and no one can doubt your passion on this issue.
I'll commend you and your office for taking the approach you have and for resisting the temptation that my friend, Yvon Godin, suggested in terms of kicking up a storm in the courts. These are important questions we're looking at, but they're also questions that are best solved through democratically elected legislatures.
I do have a question, though, regarding one of the comments you made. I'm either looking for clarity or maybe even for you to just roll it back a little bit. On your line that understanding the two languages allows people to be “productive employees and citizens who can invest themselves fully in the civic life of their country”, I'll ask you to explain this. It suggests to me that in order to be fully Canadian or to fully participate as citizens, you have to speak both languages, and I don't think that's true.
I can point to numerous communities in my riding and communities across the country, French and English, where individuals and families can and do contribute greatly in a single language. I have made it a practice to talk about bilingualism and what that adds, but I don't believe that speaking a single language makes someone less Canadian or puts them in a position where they cannot contribute as bilingual individuals can.