Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Ms. Faitelson-Weiser, what you have been saying corroborates the fact that Canada is a country where francophones are assimilated at a staggering rate as soon as one moves away from Quebec or areas bordering on Quebec. One has only to consider the Franco-Ontarians, the Brayons (the inhabitants of the Madawaska Valley), and the Acadians. Paradoxically, in Western Canada, there are more anglophones learning French than they are young francophones—that is to say, young people whose mother tongue is French—who have the opportunity to learn their own language. For example, throughout Saskatchewan there are eight schools where French is the first language. In a province the size of Algeria, some people do not even have the opportunity to study in their own language, in French. In our country, section 16 of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms specifies that French and English are the two official languages. This is a just a put-on; this is not the way things really are. Because I come from Ontario, and because I lived in Saskatchewan for a long time, I became the best sovereignist in the world. The goal is to ensure the existence of a country in North America where we can ensure that the French fact lives on.
Hats off to Mr. Brennick and his organization for the work that they do. From what I gather, Canadian Parents for French is responsible for some of the progress that has been made. I would like to see a 100 per cent improvement, of course, but for the time being, we must encourage the parents of children whose mother tongue is French to register their children in schools where French is the first language.
I am going to ask Mr. Brennick my next question, then I will move on to Ms. Faitelson-Weiser.
Wouldn't you agree that all these efforts to produce bilingual university graduates who can speak English and French well and who are functional enough to join the federal public service should start with the school boards and the education ministries, rather than at the university level?