Foreign Affairs committee  Yes, for sure. There is a problem.

Foreign Affairs committee  It is not well perceived. In addition, there is a governance problem within the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie. Quebec and Canada have published reports on this subject, following the successive departure of secretaries general—I believe that is what they are called.

Foreign Affairs committee  Yes, it has created frustration. Personally, I took an interest in this issue at the university, and I was very involved with the education commission. The frustrations also come from the image of Canada. In my opinion, there is an opportunity to seize, to the extent that African students are disaffected with France, which is the traditional host country for these students.

Foreign Affairs committee  Thank you for the question. I also happen to be a “migratologist”. Immigration and development, as we understand them today, should be wins both for the immigrant and the state that they are migrating from, because it has invested in the immigrant's education, and for the state that they are migrating to, because it is interested in the expertise brought to the community.

Foreign Affairs committee  That is a very interesting question, because Canada's expertise is recognized in certain African regions. It would be good to have a strategy that would take into account the investments made in certain regions, especially since Canada's expertise in certain industrial sectors is recognized.

Foreign Affairs committee  The intersection is in infrastructure and mines, which we know very well. For example, the Inga hydro dam is considered to be very important to meet energy needs and for the self-sufficiency of not only central Africa, but southern Africa as well. Canada has expertise in that regard, with Hydro-Québec and Hydro One.

Foreign Affairs committee  Thank you. I would like to sincerely thank the committee for inviting me to come and talk about co-operation with the African continent. As I said in my speaking notes, it is clear that envisaging co-operation with Africa means agreeing to deconstruct our vision of Africa and, above all, to take Africa as it is and not as it is not or as we would like it to be.