Good morning everyone. I am pleased to be here with you.
As you know, the committee travelled from one end of Canada to the other. We went on-site in the heat of the action to see the reality of francophones outside Quebec. It was very enriching for each and every one of us. I must say that our government and those who work for it believe unshakeably in the francophonie and in official languages.
It is true that there have been cuts; everyone has heard about them. However, I would like to place the situation in perspective, because some of my fellow members on the other side of the House went from $309 million to only $215 million between 1993 and 1999. So this could be a matter for lengthy discussion as well.
During our trip, we heard a great deal about the shortcomings of the Action Plan for Official Languages, and in particular about the lack of planning for communications.
I have a question for Ms. Beaulieu. I believe I understood that you were more or less in agreement with everyone about the fact that there was a lack of communication. As your organization is at the very centre of the Canadian francophonie, could it play a role at this level? Do you have any possible suggestions to give to the government?