Thank you, Mr. Chair. You are doing a fine job.
First, thank you to all witnesses for being with us today. Please forgive me if I mispronounce your names. I will try my best not to butcher them too badly.
All witnesses spoke at length about language. It is the foundation of Tibetan culture, alongside Buddhism, of course. As a Quebecker, I can certainly relate.
A sad precedent has already been set in Canada. We need only think of certain provinces that banned French-language education, like Manitoba and Ontario. We saw what happened as a result. When Manitoba joined the Canadian Confederation in 1870, it had as many francophones as anglophones. When French-language education was banned, it led to the outcome we know today. Unfortunately, you might take this as an indication of what ensues when education is imposed in another language, causing the assimilation of future generations.
I would like to hear what Mr. Dorjee has to say about that. We must look to the past to see what the future holds. Can Canada's past serve as an example of what could occur in Tibet?
Were my comments understood, Mr. Chair?