Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Thank you for being here this morning. Mr. Laflamme, you said that these initiatives are a good deal. I like that expression. That is what I used to say to my children when they were little.
However, when we are dealing with the health of francophones living outside Quebec, according to what we have heard so far, it is not a very good deal for the money. Maybe, and this probably applies to well-defined prevention programs, once they are implemented—and you said so yourself— the expertise can be applied elsewhere and that is how the objectives are met.
However, when we take a look at the entire situation, particularly when it comes to research, it is obvious that the main factor in determining what can be done is money, in other words, how much we are willing to spend. But when the target population is dispersed, there is not enough information to allow for a clear correlation that would lead to concrete action later on.
In my opinion, the funding allocated to these communities is a very important factor. This applies to health care as well as to all other areas. That is why, when it comes to language, this committee is so determined to help people find a way out of these unfavourable situations.
Moreover, Ms. Bouchard, you provided information comparing the health of francophones and anglophones. Francophones, in general, are not as healthy; others have told us the same thing.
Without taking into account these comparisons, can you tell me, objectively, about the health of francophones living in Canada, outside Quebec?