The federal government has a responsibility with respect to official languages. Here I'm talking about Part VII of the Official Languages Act. Funding is allocated to the communities for the promotion of official languages. Mr. Pelletier says that the situation has improved, relative to other years, but it's as though we don't know where the money went. I remember that was the case in Nova Scotia and that the issue was a serious one. We wondered whether the funding had gone to the schools or elsewhere. Funding is granted, and the provinces do what they want with it. They can't do that. There is Part VII of the Official Languages Act. So we have to stop hitting the ball back and forth. New Brunswick is supposedly recognized as bilingual. Other provinces may perhaps want to defend themselves and say that they have jurisdiction in everything. If the federal government has money to offer to assist the communities, we must send it to the right place. I won't be going to defend the government of New Brunswick if it doesn't do so.
You say this has improved, but what does that mean? The matter isn't resolved. Funding is transferred to the provinces and it's as though we let them do what they want with it. Part VII of the Official Languages Act is clear: the federal government allocates funding. However, when it allocates funding to a province, it should ensure that it knows where that money goes.
Do you agree?