Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
I'd like to thank all three of you for being here today to represent your respective groups.
Ms. Gagné-Ouellette, to answer the question you asked at the very end of your presentation, I can assure you that we are listening.
I am from rural francophone New Brunswick, where official languages and everything to do with early childhood development are very important. I am also a young father and can assure you that we are listening. At least on this side of the table.
We could raise various subjects. I just spoke about early childhood. We could speak about literacy. All three of you will see that it will affect you directly.
Not so long ago, in September, many budget cuts were announced. Everybody is talking about them; you talked about them and I believe that everyone will continue to talk about them for months and years, until the situation is reversed.
However, there is another situation: Canada Post's contribution to funding to the Publications Assistance Program has been eliminated. At the end of this meeting, we are going to discuss a motion that I introduced a few weeks ago. The motion asks the government to reinstate the Publications Assistance Program to ensure that rural communities and official language communities are not negatively affected.
Indeed, we know that francophone communities or French-speaking communities are not necessarily the richest communities in Canada. That being the case, they are probably not able to pay more for such things as buying a newspaper.
Mr. Cousineau, you spoke earlier about literacy.
Ms. Gagné-Ouellette, you spoke earlier about children.
Ms. Beaulieu, you spoke earlier about francophone and Acadian communities.
In reality, if we are unable through such a program to provide assistance, then that limits what we can do. And if that is the case, it means that people will not be able to read or not have access to the tools they need to develop.
The government appears at the moment to be doing virtually everything it can to keep its citizens as ignorant as possible. I know that the government's members of Parliament disagree with me: I can understand them, because they are the ones implementing the cuts.
I would like to hear what you have to say about the reinstatement of the Publications Assistance Program. I want to make sure that everyone around this table understands the possible repercussions on the various communities.