Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
I cannot just sit here without saying anything.
Mr. Gourde said that there had not been any problems, but the fact is that the transfer still has not taken place.
Mr. Gourde, that is not the issue. The government announced the transfer, and we are asking the government to conduct a study before proceeding with it. It's not what happened today or since 2011 that is at issue. We want to have a study on the transfer which was announced. I want all Canadians and all Quebeckers to understand this. We are not questioning either what is happening now, nor the expertise which is in Quebec. We want everything to stay the way it is.
It's a language issue. If a person calls Halifax or Trenton, and that person hears: "I don't speak French", that's a serious problem. I don't know if other committee members have interpreted this the way you have, but I believe that we have been clear: we want to discuss the government's announcement to close the Maritime Rescue Centre in Quebec, and to transfer its activities to Halifax and Trenton.
A little earlier, I spoke to someone from Tabusintac, New Brunswick, who had called Halifax, and she talked about the service she had received. We don't want that type of situation to be repeated.
Today, the government intends to close the centre in Quebec and transfer its activities to Halifax and Trenton. However, the reason why the Standing Committee on Official Languages is involved in this matter is simple: in that situation, safety was at issue because the people in Halifax and Trenton did not speak the same language as those in Quebec. If people understand each other, things will work themselves out, but if they do not share the same language, there will be problems. It seems to me that this is not difficult to understand. I don't want to be mean in saying this, but if you don't get it, you've got a serious problem. It's obvious what we are talking about.
Regardless, we are ready to vote.