Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.
Welcome to the Standing Committee on Official Languages. I'm very proud to see you here today, and I'm glad we can have this conversation, which is so important for our communities.
That reminds me that the Franco-Ontarian community has been interested in the education continuum from early childhood to the postsecondary level for a very long time. The French-language university project in Toronto is of course part of that continuum.
What's happening is not just a direct attack on the Université de l'Ontario français; it's also an attack on all postsecondary programs currently offered by several colleges and universities in Ontario.
That's the subject I wanted to address with you today. It's important to train not only young people—we know that—but also adults. With respect to immigration, we've expressed the intention to welcome a certain percentage of francophone immigrants, particularly in Toronto. However, access to French-language training would be crucially important in that it could help encourage immigrants to settle and work in French in the Toronto area.
So there's this frontal attack on the Université de l'Ontario français, but it goes beyond that institution. I'm thinking, in particular, of postsecondary education institutions. How do you think we can protect the postsecondary programs that are offered in French across the province?