Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Another group was also affected, and I think that it is an important group. When we talk about communities, there are people who work on a volunteer basis to help francophones. Whether in French or in English, in Sherbrooke in the province of Quebec, where anglophones are a minority, it is the same thing.
In my riding, I met a man who was a director of volunteer services.
According to one study, in New Brunswick only, volunteer work amounts to 15,000 unpaid jobs. Does the government really understand what it is in the process of doing? This network of volunteers receives an annual grant of $140,000. I am not saying that it was this amount alone that was supporting the whole project. The federal government granted $140,000 to New Brunswick—I do not know how much it gave to Quebec—to help one volunteer organization doing work equivalent to 15,000 jobs. If these 15,000 people were to tell themselves that there was nothing left for them to do in society, that they had done their work and would rather go home and sit in front of the television set, what then? I feel that this is one of the most mean-minded of the government's cuts.
Of course it took 10 years to convince the previous government to come up with an action plan, which came into effect in 2003, and which still has some flaws. Today, we have taken a step backward. Usually, there is only one speed when you are driving in reverse, but in this case, there are 10. It is not enough to be working on an action plan with a view to improving it, when we find ourselves with less than nothing. I know that it is frustrating for the government. I understand it. I would not like to be in their place.
It seems to me that your group came here without making any specific suggestions. It is true that you spoke about the need for infrastructure. But I would like to have a clear idea of what your position is. Are you telling the government to pause for a moment to consult? You are part of the community, you are in the field, and each of you has a brain, you are close to the community, you pay taxes, and the government is elected to represent you. Are you asking the government to listen to you and to work with us? Is that the message that you would like us to enter in the report? We are going to write a report. What do you want? What do you think are the most important things to include in the report?