Bilateral Trade Relationships  Mr. Speaker, this year marks Peru's 201st anniversary of independence. Canada has eight free trade agreements in the hemisphere. They are with Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Honduras, Panama, Peru, Mexico and the U.S. Peru is Canada's third largest bilateral trading partner in Latin America and one of the fastest growing economies in Latin America, with an annual growth rate of 5.5%.

Official Languages  Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Sudbury for her engagement and dedication to the francophone community and her community. We launched Canada-wide consultations on the action plan. We will consult communities across Canada to find out about their priorities and their vision for official language minority communities.

Official Languages  Mr. Speaker, Bill C‑13 is currently being examined by the Standing Committee on Official Languages. As I said earlier, we once again thank the Government of Quebec for its contribution to the legislative process. Members of Parliament will be responsible for considering the amendments brought forward by national organizations and all parliamentary stakeholders.

Official Languages  Mr. Speaker, we are the first federal government to recognize the decline of French across the country, including in Quebec. We know that more needs to be done to protect and promote the French language, which is a goal we share with the Government of Quebec. Our government will continue to take responsibility for passing legislation within its own jurisdiction to support the vitality of French in our communities.

Jean-Paul II Elementary School  Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize the incredible students at École Jean-Paul II, a school in Val Caron, in the Nickel Belt riding, which is in Greater Sudbury. The grade 7 and 8 students in the Club Val Coeurons organized the sale of Coco Grams during the Easter season. They raised more than $2,000, which they recently donated to the Canadian Red Cross in support of people affected by the conflict in Ukraine.

International Day of the Midwife  Madam Speaker, May 5 is recognized around the world as the International Day of the Midwife. It is a day to recognize the contribution midwives make to ensure safe, quality reproductive and newborn care to families, mothers and babies everywhere. I thank the Sudbury Community Midwives and the Canadian Association of Midwives for providing leadership and advocacy for midwifery.

Petitions  Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to present a petition on behalf of residents of Chelmsford, in the greater Sudbury area, a community located in my riding of Nickel Belt. These Canadians are asking the House of Commons to adopt human rights and environmental due diligence legislation.

Official Languages Act  Madam Speaker, as my colleague said, we have francophones and francophiles here in the House who have travelled across the country. Bilingualism is important from coast to coast to coast. We have to find ways to promote French and protect minority communities in Quebec, and we have to work together to find ways to support minority communities across the country.

Official Languages Act  Madam Speaker, I would like to thank my hon. colleague for the work we have done together on several committees in the past. The Commissioner of Official Languages made several recommendations. Some of those recommendations were included previously in Bill C-32. We have listened to communities across the country and we have also listened to the commissioner during this time.

Official Languages Act  Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague for her question. If we look at Bill C‑13, as well as minority communities in Canada and in Quebec, there are some positive measures that are proposed. The bill talks about a central agency and about federally regulated private businesses. We all agree that French is declining in Quebec and in Canada.

Official Languages Act  Mr. Speaker, I will share my time with the member for Kingston and the Islands. As a proud francophone from Nickel Belt and Greater Sudbury, a region with deep francophone roots, I am very appreciative of the opportunity to give this speech today. The Franco-Ontarian flag, which was designed by Gaétan Gervais, a history professor at Laurentian University, and Michel Dupuis, a student there, was officially flown for the first time in Sudbury on September 25, 1975, at the University of Sudbury.

Official Languages Act  Mr. Speaker, I have a question for my hon. colleague. At the Standing Committee on Official Languages, she mentioned the importance of francophone immigration. I would like her comments on how we might improve Bill C‑13 in that regard. How can we help community organizations from coast to coast to coast support and increase francophone immigration?

Official Languages Act  Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for her French and for the work she is doing as a francophile for francophone communities across Canada and in Manitoba. My colleague and I have fathers with similar backgrounds. Her father was a member of the Manitoba legislature, and my father was here in the House when the Official Languages Act was enacted in 1969.

Official Languages Act  Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague for his speech and for his work on the Standing Committee on Official Languages to protect the French language. As a Franco-Ontarian, I sometimes have a hard time understanding the Bloc Québécois when it talks about promoting and protecting French outside of Quebec.

Official Languages  Madam Speaker, I thank the member for his question and for his work on official languages. Our government understands the importance of the substantive equality of both official languages. This means strengthening the positive measures in the bill as well as co-operation with our partners and the provinces.