Thank you. That was an excellent clarification, David. Again, I must say that the funding we receive from the federal government for official languages is crucial for our organization, as well as for the francophones who benefit from our services.
Mr. Petit, you asked how it was possible for us to retain bilingual staff in a minority environment. There are three possible answers. I am sure that Jean-Marc and Nicole would also like to speak to that.
In a minority francophone environment, professionals must be paid well. Francophones have to be trained in French in Ontario. However, I have to say in all honesty that, at the centre, some of our professionals are Francophiles who speak excellent French. They did their postsecondary studies in French and have devoted themselves to the francophone cause. That's terrific. So in that regard, we can congratulate the federal government for having invested as much as it did in education in both official languages.
The third point is the most fundamental one, which is that you have to create a work environment which accommodates professionals. I am not only referring to the area of health care, but also to the areas of social services, early childhood education and interdisciplinary practice, all in French. It is very difficult to achieve this if you do not have a critical mass of stakeholders. Doctors, including those who work in Quebec's local community service centres, say that they make a lot less than there peers in the rest of the country, but that their working conditions are better. And that is why they stay in Quebec.
The same is true for doctors and professionals who work at the Centre francophone in Toronto. They have the opportunity to work in French in an interdisciplinary environment which promotes collaboration. They feel they get the support they need. They don't feel alone.
For anyone who works in isolation in their given field, be it law, psychology, medicine or any other area, the fact of working alone is very difficult. Working in a team can make all the difference.