I thank both of our witnesses today. I think they both provided us with some very precise advice.
Mr. Chair, I will share my time with my colleague Madame Laverdière. I have one question.
Mr. Bradet, I'm going to start with you. I'm going to read from your presentation back in 2009 when you said the following to the committee. I think you'll be okay with this. We'll find out. You said:
Africa shares the concerns of the African diplomatic missions. In the last few years we have clearly observed a trend that indicates the Canadian government, in general, is less and less present in Africa, whereas the Canadian population is doing more and more there. We are here today to ensure that this concern is communicated clearly to the members of Parliament, and that this issue is taken as a priority by the committee. We understand you have many priorities, but we believe this is one that should be considered very seriously. It is our assessment that there is an emergency and that Parliament must take necessary action to stop it and put in place a moratorium on budget cuts, on embassy closings, until a comprehensive strategy is developed after appropriate consultations with Canadians.
You said that in 2009. I want to get your assessment in 2013. Do you stand by those words?