Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Some of the issues you brought up were interesting, especially with respect to an integrated schooling system. I think that's an interesting idea. In general, though, I just want to make a comment. My view is that, at a broad level, communities that are isolationist and inward-looking tend not to be healthy communities, confident communities. We live in a world that is increasingly integrated and influenced as it has never been, whether it be through trade, through immigration, or through rapidly changing society.
One thing that I think you have correctly identified is that being engaged and outward-looking and trying to encounter the other is a good way to approach things. So I think your comments about the isolationism that some of the minority language communities feel in Quebec is quite accurate.
I think, though, with some of the suggestions you've made, with respect to some of the columns you've written in the Gazette and in Le Devoir, you have to be careful about not also falling into that isolationism yourself as a community. Because it's easy, whether it's talk of a provincial constitution for Quebec or discussion of an identity particular to Quebec, to fall into that trap of being once again inward-looking and isolationist. If you engage other groups and communities, the majority francophone community, I think that's the way to go.
It's interesting that you bring this topic up now, because at our last committee meeting we had the official languages commissioner here. One study they're undertaking is a study of diversity and bilingualism, because in cities like Toronto, as in Montreal, there's increasing diversity, and the big question is this: how do you accommodate that increasing diversity, while at the same time protecting the fact and the reality of official bilingualism and the duality of the two languages in this country?
So perhaps it would be good for you to engage the official languages commissioner on this issue as well. He might actually have some pertinent comments for you.
I'll just close by saying that I know he has studied the issue of minority language communities in Edmonton and is quite enthusiastic about how the minority francophone community in Edmonton is being educated. He thinks it's one of the leading school boards in the country with respect to how they protect French language minority rights in an English language majority situation.
So I would encourage you to contact him to talk to him about that.