Mr. Chair, I think the members opposite are discounting the fact that language requirements can always be waived on humanitarian and compassionate grounds. If they're referring to those few cases where there are humanitarian and compassionate grounds, there's a provision for that in the bill, for sure.
Mr. Chair, the overwhelming majority of 57,000 students who participated in writing the citizenship test based on the “Discover Canada” guide in 2014 passed the test. Actually, adequate knowledge of either English or French has been a requirement for citizenship since the Citizenship Act was first introduced in 1947. We don't think it's too much to ask that a 14-year-old, 15-year-old, 16-year-old, 17-year-old, have a basic language skill in either English or French.
As I said before, the opposition's arguments have not convinced us to change our minds, and we are not going to be supporting the amendment.