Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I want to thank the witnesses for being here today.
I care deeply about this issue, and so do my constituents. This is an important issue not only for Ontario's francophone population, but also for the entire population of Ontario.
We often talk about the Université de l'Ontario français, but I want to remind everyone that the university isn't only for francophones in Ontario, but for all francophones. There are even francophiles around the world who want to participate in this university project.
I want us to see this university as an important opportunity for Ontario to make a positive investment in post-secondary education. The value added can benefit everyone, not only in Ontario, but across the country. We're very concerned about this issue, which is why we're currently studying it.
Mr. Zegarac, you talked about the possibility of discussions between the federal and provincial governments, and I want to go back to that. Do you have a mandate to work and negotiate with the federal government as part of bilateral agreements on education and French-language education?