We have said as a government that the principle is a good principle. The problem is that we don't have the ability to hire judges at that rate across the entire country. It would put several provinces in a position where they do not have a large enough pool.
Also, Madam Laforge, I'm going to use you as an example.
Madam Laforge was speaking earlier and couldn't remember a French word. Without this simultaneous translation, judges will miss because of accents, because of capacity to understand different languages, and that is our fear. For those who have the huge competencies in law that we need in the Supreme Court, we do not want to prejudice, for them to not be considered, because, again, competency should mean something.
There are other bills, of course, that focus on some of these things. I'm sure you will be consulted at some point or another on many of them. I welcome your input at any time. My office is always open. We've had a very good working relationship and I look forward to your input on many of those things.
Again, I am very interested in your community, Mademoiselle Johnston. Being a youth who's afraid you won't be able to work in your community is disturbing, because you are what my community considers to be what we strive for. You are a very high-level bilingual person, and it's bothersome to hear that you don't think you can get a job there.
We did a study. Every year in the public service, 5,000 jobs for bilinguals cannot be filled. You and your community could help us fill those positions. But to hear that you don't think you'll be able to fill them because in your province you're never quite French enough...? How do we fix that?
I don't think a tax credit to help you finish your school is going to address the sentiment expressed by Madam Laforge and yourself that you're never French enough. Do you honestly think that a tax credit is going to change the thinking amongst the people who are hiring, as you've expressed, and who don't choose English-speaking people first as a rule because, in your words, they're not quite French enough?