Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. You represent a number of worthwhile organizations. Unfortunately, however, we must focus on certain groups because of time restrictions. That is why I will pick up on the questions already put by my colleagues and address the representatives of the Fédération des communautés francophones et acadienne du Canada.
In your document, you reiterate that the throne speech clearly states that we are a bilingual country. It is all well and good to be bilingual, but we understand the necessity of having a federation with a budget to deliver services to Canada's French-speaking minority.
Earlier, I heard you tell my colleague, Mr. Mulcair, that your budget was very useful in providing the services you do to your community, services that the government would have to provide if you did not exist.
Your services could be improved dramatically given that you replace the government. I do not want to get into the whole issue of the government's responsibility to ensure that the country is bilingual, but you replace the government in terms of the services it is supposed to provide to this community. Therefore, you are filling a need. But it is shameful that you replace the government, and yet you have to ask it for money in order to make up for its failure to fulfil its duty of national bilingualism.
Am I right to think that way?