Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
I am really a bit disappointed with your position. Let me tell you why.
As far as schools are concerned, two months ago, Justin Trudeau tried the same thing in Saint John, New Brunswick, and he nearly got a spanking. It simply does not work. It did not work in New Brunswick. That is why we have also, amongst other things, used the Court Challenges Program. The program was used in Prince Edward Island in the fight for French schools.
It is just normal, and I do not want to offend anyone, but if there are 10 people in a room with no interpretation services, and of that number there are 9 francophones and 1 anglophone, everyone will speak English.
This is what happened in the past: it works in the classroom, but not in the schoolyard, because English dominates and French always loses out. That will not change in the future.
That is why we fought so hard in our province. It is unthinkable that there would be classes with both anglophones and francophones in New Brunswick. That is why we have immersion schools. Parents who want their children to learn both languages send them to immersion schools. That is where they learn their second language.
It just does not work. I believe you are promoting something which will not work and which will not be accepted. That has already been proven. It is not as if it has not been tried before.
If that was attempted in Quebec, it would mean that in Alberta, with its francophone minority, English and French schools would be created and anglophones would be forced to go to French schools. Just imagine! It is the same thing. Given the fact that there are now many francophones from New Brunswick in “Fort Make Money”, it would mean that French schools would have to be shared with anglophones. I do not know if anglophones would be very happy with that.
But let's talk about the Court Challenges Program. Let me explain to you the reason for such a program's existence: when minorities believe that their charter rights have been violated, they can take their case to the Supreme Court with the help of the program. So it is not just communities which can do this.
In my riding, Ms. Paulin was stopped by the RCMP close to Saint John in New Brunswick, in Fredericton. The RCMP officer who had stopped her did not speak French. Ms. Paulin took her case to the Supreme Court. Ultimately, with the help of money from the Court Challenges Program, the case was settled out of court, and from now on, these services must be offered in both of New Brunswick's official languages.
The reason there are French schools on Prince Edward Island is because of the Court Challenges Program.
Sometimes, it all starts with one person, and not always with organizations which have over 300 members. Ordinary citizens who believe their rights have been violated, can take advantage of this program. So, ultimately, everyone can benefit from it. It is not up to the government to say that it is always a third party. That is not what the Court Challenges Program is all about; it is there to see that justice is done.
I have often gone to Montreal to speak with people and even with anglophones. Anglophone Quebec has its own schools and perhaps even the best university in Canada, McGill.