I believe that the Official Languages Act was created because there was quite a bit of tension between Quebec and the federal government at that time.
If Canada is truly inclusive, then where is the evidence that people can be served in French wherever they go and that they receive equal treatment with their anglophone counterparts?
The climate in western Canada has changed a lot. Ms. Pozniak talked about the enthusiasm for learning French. Forty years ago, people had to be careful about where they spoke French in Saskatchewan. That is no longer the case. Many people have a positive understanding of French, and we need to promote it. However, under the current system, the fewer people there are, the fewer resources are allocated.
That is problematic for a province like ours because it has an impact on the way we can welcome African newcomers who come here and want to join our community. The resources are not there to accommodate newcomers and those who have already been in the community awhile. The way of thinking is that resources should be allocated by resident, and so communities with fewer residents get less. That is not a formula that works. It has never worked for us, and that is the root of the issue.
I want to come back to the promotion of bilingualism. Our bilingual country is very poorly promoted. We do not boast about the fact that we are unique in the world. People in other countries often learn several languages, but we are unique in our world, and we do not promote that in a positive way that reflects the nation as a whole. That is a problem.