According to the annual report, the financial transfer from Canadian Heritage to the provinces for education, that is, for French and English as first or second languages, is a very considerable amount. We are presently conducting a study on payment mechanisms to see how federal institutions, including Canadian Heritage, can make sure that the money is well spent.
I have one fear about that approach, which is very laudable. Yes, it is important that the federal government play that role. But sometimes I am afraid that it takes responsibility away from the provinces, who may tend to feel that this is a federal matter while they only deal with real educational issues. I am afraid that the same commitment may not be there, that teaching French may decrease and not be treated on an equal footing with other high school subjects.
I am a great admirer of immersion as a system, but I add a note of caution because it takes resources, it takes teachers of basic French who are often not treated the same as teachers of other subjects.
Be that as it may, yes, I do feel that it is important for the federal government to play a greater leadership role, in cooperation with the provinces and with the Council of Ministers of Education Canada.