Thank you, Mr. Chair. Thank you, gentlemen.
[The member spoke in Créole]
The goal of the meeting today is primarily to make constructive suggestions. Obviously, we must not do that from a partisan standpoint. We are talking about a people that has suffered. There are health needs in Haiti. There are construction needs—I don't want to say "reconstruction" because I would not want to see the situation become what it was before. So I will use the word "construction" instead. Haiti has to be guilt. In the domestic circumstances, there is a need for reunification. I was happy to see that adoption was mentioned. But I have always said I am concerned about family reunification, particularly in relation to the domestic issue, the question of immigration. The trauma that has been experienced is truly enormous.
We are privileged, in a way, to have you here to testify, because you help us to understand what you are experiencing on the ground. The purpose of this dialogue is to make sure that we can identify and propose constructive solutions and achieve meaningful results. The Liberal Party of Canada is not satisfied in terms of immigration, in terms of family reunification. I would have liked a program to be developed, somewhat like we did for the Kosovars, but specific to the problem of Haiti. Like you, Mr. Jean-Gilles, I think that an extraordinary situation calls for extraordinary measures.
Now, given that a decision has been made, we have to find concrete ways of expediting the processing of applications. I would like to hear each of you, moving quickly, since we have only seven minutes.
Mr. Jean-Gilles, you have us some very specific recommendations. You yourself took part in an important conference, as a member of CONACOH, to prepare for attending the Montreal Conference.
I am glad to see that there are not just Quebeckers present, and that Mr. DuBois is here from Hamilton. So there are two aspects to this situation: the situation in Quebec with the Canada-Quebec Accord, and the situation for people on the other side of the Ottawa River, which is entirely different.
As a pastor, my friend Mr. Sauveur has to bring all these people together every Sunday to talk to them. He sees some of the despair some people are feeling and he tries to help them.
Quickly, explain for me what people are experiencing at present, on the ground, in terms of immigration. We know what has been done for rebuilding. In terms of immigration, now, what are people telling you at present?
Let's start with Mr. Jean-Gilles.