It would be remiss of me to appear before the Standing Committee on Official Languages without bringing up Bill S-3.
Earlier, we were discussing the importance of the Court Challenges Program. I am only going to make a brief aside, because I am glad that monsieur Godin raised the issue of the challenges that await us.
I would just like to issue a reminder as to the federal government's commitment to official languages. As you know, we do not have the critical mass that was previously used to justify the obligation to provide services in French. And that is the nub of the problem. I am speaking to you as the network coordinator. One of our most important partners is ACOA, the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency. I mention it by way of example, but there are many others as well. I simply wish to underscore that we always have to be vigilant in making sure that the need to provide services in French is understood.
Before I talk about priority issues such as the economic development of French-language communities, health, and immigration, I would like to go back to basics and stress the need for the provision of French-language services. I have had many discussions — always amicable, as you can imagine — with ACOA on parts IV and VII of the OLA.
I just wanted to remind you of these provisions of the act and say that we cannot afford to let down our guard. We always have to be vigilant. In some places people never have to stop to wonder whether they will be able to speak French. I mean places other than New Brunswick, which has the privilege of being officially designated as a bilingual province. Here, however, we face a daily struggle. Some battles have been won, but with great difficulty, and only because they were well planned. I just wanted to draw your attention to this situation.