Official Languages committee  We're missing infrastructure in the regions.

Official Languages committee  There are still pockets of the Eastern Townships where people don't have access to the Internet at home. They need either a satellite 3G kind of system, which is really expensive and not reliable, or they simply don't have access to the Internet and that technology when they're at home.

Official Languages committee  It goes—

Official Languages committee  Off the top of my head—it's audit season—we were up around $609,000 for the programs we ran last year for Townshippers' Association.

Official Languages committee  Exactly.

Official Languages committee  Exactly.

Official Languages committee  Yes.

Official Languages committee  Is that total funding, or from each sector?

Official Languages committee  We receive $228,000 annually from Heritage Canada; $609,000 is not Canadian Heritage, so—

Official Languages committee  It is supplemented through other funding.

Official Languages committee  I think that definitely would contribute to the stability and the vitality of the community, because you wouldn't be trying to stretch your dollar as far as it could go. Gerald alluded earlier that you spend your year gearing up for the next fight for funding. I think that would definitely have a positive impact on how groups like Townshippers' and ELAN look at their long-term planning.

Official Languages committee  I can't speak for the Eastern Townships school board, but I know that transportation is always a challenge in the regions. In our region, the Eastern Townships, the sparse English-speaking population is scattered over an area the size of Belgium. There are some children and teenagers who have to commute between home and school for an hour and a half or two hours, twice a day every day.

Official Languages committee  When it comes to funding for the Townshippers' Association, I can tell you that last year, 76% of our money came from federal subsidies. For the most part, the subsidies came from the Canadian Heritage program. We also have programs that stem from Health Canada in connection with the Community Health and Social Services Network, or CHSSN, to promote health and ensure access to health and social services in English for Quebec’s English-speaking communities.

Official Languages committee  I think one of the most important things that needs to be ironed out in the community sector is how funding envelopes and programs can support organizations without creating competition between organizations, and competition between provincial organizations, regional groups, and local groups.

Official Languages committee  A three-year funding program would absolutely provide stability for organizations, not only in an operational sense, but also in an action sense. When you have a one-year funding envelope, often you will get to the point in your project where you're really ready to roll, and the funding stops, or it's not renewed, or it cannot be renewed for a variety of reasons.