I would like to call to order this 43rd meeting of the Standing Committee on Official Languages. This is the second of three meetings we have scheduled for today.
We are very efficient.
I would like to welcome our witnesses.
Welcome. We had an opportunity to meet with certain witnesses at this morning's meeting. This afternoon, we will be at the Centre de la francophonie in Whitehorse.
We, the members of the Standing Committee on Official Languages, are very pleased to be here. This is our first visit to the Far North since the committee was first established more than 30 years ago, following passage of the Official Languages Act. So, you have before you a microcosm of Parliament. Here today are members of Parliament representing both the government and the Official Opposition.
Apparently, Mr. Généreux, a government MP, is currently stuck at the Vancouver airport. Mr. Lauzon is with us, but Mr. Généreux is having a problem with his flights. We will be following the situation closely. As you can see, the atmosphere is less formal than during question period and, hopefully, less acrimonious.
Without any further ado, I would like to officially welcome the representatives of all the organizations we will be hearing from this afternoon, including the Executive Director of the organization Les EssentiElles, Ms. Ketsia Houde, as well as the chair of the Comité francophone catholique Saint-Eugène-de-Mazenod, Mr. Jean-Marc Bélanger, and Mr. Claude Gosselin, who is a priest.
I invite you now to make your opening comments. Members will have questions for you after that.
Mr. Gosselin, please.