Official Languages committee  I would be pleased to tell you why the Société Saint-Thomas-d'Aquin is called that. It was created in 1919 by Prince Edward Island teachers to develop the education system. Saint Thomas of Aquinas is the patron saint of students.

Official Languages committee  Oh, no!

Official Languages committee  Another feature of this is that for years the community worked to structure itself. Today, it is contributing to the province's development. The francophone community is finding its place on the island. It is developing in an English environment and, if I may say so, we want a strategy that will make us visible in that landscape.

Official Languages committee  I am also in favour of Marie-France Kenny, president of the Fédération des communautés francophones et acadienne du Canada. She speaks for us passionately and with an extraordinary knowledge of the area.

Official Languages committee  I have to say that we in the trenches are perfectly capable of saying what we are doing and working with performance indicators. Heritage Canada helps us to use results-based management methodology. The process is not transparent in itself, but a community is gradually forming at street level that is able to use results indicators.

Official Languages committee  I would like to make two points. Almost every province has an agreement with Heritage Canada, and that is the ideal situation. The agreement is reached and investments in the province are recommended. It works well. People even ask to be involved in the evaluation. In terms of the roadmap, I would not say that it lacks consistency, I would say that it lacks transparency.

Official Languages committee  That answer goes for us too.

Official Languages committee  Yes, provincial governments are good like that, at least, the Prince Edward Island government is. Now the challenge is to establish cooperation between departments. Each department must meet the needs of francophones. So harmonization is essential. We are working together in order for the needs of francophones to be heard in each department and for the programs to be tied to those needs.

Official Languages committee  There are two things. First, we have not established where the funding went. So it is very hard for me to give you an answer.

Official Languages committee  We don't know.

Official Languages committee  Yes, I do. In terms of the economy on the island, I think that people are increasingly aware that, although the island is predominantly English-speaking, francophones are also consumers and that it is possible to consume and be served in French. Entrepreneurs have become aware that francophones are a clientele that can be served, and that serving them in French encourages consumers to come back.