Finance committee  I'll build on what Mr. Mocquais said and explain what we could do with increased funding. First, it would help maintain the long or short training programs we already provide. Increased funding would help us work together to increase the number of programs, both in terms of the current health care services being provided and the new services to meet new needs.

Finance committee  I emphasized a bit earlier the number of programs we're currently providing and the fact that we could provide more programs if we had additional funding. Each year, over 10,000 bilingual graduates join the job market. I think this contributes to our country's competitiveness and economic development.

Finance committee  It is clear that the colleges and universities of the Canadian francophonie occupy a unique place and play a critical leadership role in the communities they serve and in Canada as a whole. By supporting the colleges and universities of the Canadian francophonie, the federal government can achieve the productivity and competitiveness goals set out in the 2018 budget and fulfill its vision of official languages that prioritizes bilingualism and community vitality.

Finance committee  I will start this off.

Finance committee  Hello Mr. Chair, members of the committee, ladies and gentlemen. On behalf of the board of directors of the Association des collèges et universités de la francophonie canadienne, or ACUFC, on behalf of my colleagues here and on my own behalf, thank you for this invitation to present our comments and recommendations in person, which for the most part are included in the brief we submitted in July for your committee's prebudget consultations for the 2018 federal budget.