Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Good evening, Madam Minister.
We are very pleased to welcome you here to the committee.
I am going to talk first about a subject that is of concern to all of us and that is close to your heart, as it is to mine, and that is the issue of official languages in Canada. I am not just talking about bilingualism on a national level. We understand the importance of supporting linguistic minorities, both francophones outside Quebec and anglophones in Quebec.
Many concerns have been raised in relation to the issue of official languages in the federal government. How will Bill C‑13 give more power to Treasury Board to ensure the equality of English and French within the various federal departments?