Good morning, everybody. Welcome to the Standing Committee on Official Languages, meeting number 42. Pursuant to Standing Order 108(3), this is a study of the development of linguistic duality in northern Canada.
We have the pleasure of having a very important panel of witnesses this morning.
Allow me to welcome you to this extraordinary meeting of the Standing Committee on Official Languages, the first to be held in the Canadian high north since the committee was established more than 30 years ago. My colleagues from the main federal political parties and I are pleased to be here to witness the advancement and promotion of linguistic duality in the high north.
First, I would like to remind you that you have access to simultaneous interpretation equipment.
I would also like to mention to you that, as a result of the winter conditions, two committee members, Yvon Godin and Bernard Généreux, will be joining us later in the day. They will of course be able to follow the proceedings of our committee since all our conversations and exchanges will be entered in our records.
Without further ado, I would invite the representatives of the Government of Yukon to take the floor. I believe we will be hearing from Ms. Blais. I would like to thank you for helping to find the witnesses. We also have Ms. Moodie, deputy minister and Cabinet secretary, with us today. Thank you.
Thank you for being with us, Ms. Moodie.
We also have Ms. Pamela Hine, who is deputy minister of education, and Mr. Harvey Brooks, deputy minister of economic development.
Welcome to our committee.
We also have the manager of arts and cultural services from the Department of Tourism and Culture, Ms. Laurel Parry, and, lastly, the director of communications and social marketing at the Department of Health and Social Services, Ms. Patricia Living.
Without further ado, I invite you to make your opening statements. Then we will continue with a discussion with committee members.
Ms. Blais, go ahead please.