I do not think that we are avoiding the issue. We speak of vulnerabilities and of challenges within the communities from the perspective of vitality. I would like to share with you a quote found on page 59. It is from Gratien Allaire, a historian at Laurentian University in Sudbury. He has been an inspiration for us not only through his work in historical studies but also through his commitment toward the community. The quote reads as follows:
These days, we talk about health in terms of improving well-being, that is, no longer simply in terms of the absence of disease. I'm happy to see that when we talk about community vitality, we are broadening this idea beyond the mere absence of assimilation.
Communities are committed and active. I think that has become apparent because of the success that has been achieved through the type of work that you accomplished in the area of school governance, i.e., the establishment of schools in western Canadian communities. The communities are stronger than they were in the past. Obviously, there still is assimilation. However, I have seen the efforts made by school boards to reach out and promote French-language schools to exogamous families. Promotional efforts have also been made by Ontario's Ministry of Education. I think we can say that these are signs of vitality.