Mr. Speaker, one of the many opportunities we have as Canadians arises from our membership in la Francophonie. We are one of the rare countries whose two official languages are international languages. This is an extraordinary asset that we must cultivate. French is part of Canada's past, part of its history, but it is also and especially part of its future, a future in which we must invest, in which we must believe, for it is the future of our children.
La Francophonie begins first at home, through Quebec's influence, through the development of Acadia and of all our official language communities. It is in the interests of all Canadians that these communities remain vital, now and forever. La Francophonie also entails broadening the scope of the francophone space in Canada. We must ensure that all Canadians who wish to do so have an opportunity to learn French, have access to French culture here and around the world and pass this valuable heritage on to their children.
La Francophonie is a gateway to the world, an immense window that looks out onto a number of continents, and an incredible cultural treasure. La Francophonie is an international organization that Canada, Quebec and New Brunswick must support and help resonate, for the francophone world expects such leadership from us.
This autumn, the Francophonie Summit will take place in Kinshasa, a symbolic expression of the enormous social, environmental and humanitarian challenges that are sweeping through the francophone world and that Canada must consider with determination. Canada will have to speak out in Kinshasa with a voice that is clear and firm for human rights, democracy, liberty and dignity for all French speakers in the world.
La Francophonie is also an underestimated marketplace, an opportunity and an outlet for our technologies and our expertise in French, and Canada has every incentive to make a significant investment in these areas.
In conclusion, let us hope that our membership in la Francophonie continues to inform Canadian foreign policy. We owe a great deal to the French language and French culture. We owe a great deal to la Francophonie. Let us give it a great deal in return.