Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Hello and thank you, Mr. Théberge. Hello also to the people accompanying you.
We are pleased to welcome you to the committee as the new commissioner. This is the first time. Welcome.
I think you have a dual role. It involves both the theoretical aspects of the act, as well as your duties at your office and your relationship with Parliament and the official language minority communities, OLMCs, and so forth.
The other part of your role is more political. You have to take action, be a watchdog and sustain the hopes of linguistic minority communities in Canada. There is even a kind of duality in your work: one part is more practical, while the other is more theoretical.
I see what you do and I think it is effective.
At the committee, we heard about a meeting this summer with young French-Canadians. At the meeting, you apparently told them to calm down a bit, not to expect too much, and not to demand ever more favourable measures from the government for the protection of linguistic groups.
I would like to give you the opportunity to explain that. It really surprised us a lot and we were a bit astonished by what those young people said.
Over to you.