Mr. Chairman, the problem is first and foremost one of culture and attitude, which leads me to believe that it is essentially a leadership problem. Once the military leadership will have not only issued very clear messages, directives or even appropriate orders, but also decided to ensure close, disciplined and strict follow-up, I think things will change rather quickly.
What I find especially deplorable and regrettable about this situation is that francophones tell us that when they are at Borden and are told that they must learn English to integrate, to become normal, if you will; they get the impression they are being sent a cultural message, and it is a matter of openness.
It seems to me that all Canadian citizens, whether they be unilingual anglophones, francophones or whether they be bilingual, are entitled to be treated and welcomed in exactly the same way, regardless of where they are serving in the Canadian armed forces. Unfortunately, what we have seen, noted and especially heard from the recruits and students at Borden leads us to believe that the current situation isn't quite what it should be.