I regularly meet with representatives from the communities and anglophone groups in Quebec. There is an urgent problem. I received a very specific, detailed note over the weekend from the director general of the Townshippers' Association. She told me that the association is experiencing a budget crisis at the moment. There is no longer any money in the account, and the amounts required for people's wages have to be deposited this week. They're not getting any money from the Department of Canadian Heritage. I have heard that a number of anglophone groups in Quebec are in a similar position. Apparently, this week the representatives from the department told them that they would be issuing an emergency cheque, but that this might not happen, because the department can issue only six emergency cheques, and that this must be done for a number of groups.
The departmental officials suggested changing the rules and issuing more emergency cheques. The money that has been promised should simply be provided rather than cutting off the funding to anglophone organizations in Quebec!
I was wondering whether you were aware of this situation and whether the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages could do anything about it.