You know, it depends on the regions.
I happen to come from the Pontiac region, which is very different from coming from la Gaspésie or neighbouring areas, but the reality is that within some communities, our resources are provided by the Province of Ontario. We have to ensure that our resources are provided, whether that be health care, education, community support, or whatnot within the context of our being residents of the province of Quebec.
I was president of a regional association, and you have those challenges within communities. We talk about community. Other people might have a different perspective of community, because it might be the village of Chelsea or it might be the village of Shawville within my community, but from a regional perspective, you try to speak of a greater community where you want to have an identity. That identity means coming together, just as we are doing here today, to try to be the solutions within our community and to demonstrate a common front so that we're no longer working in silos. We have to work with one another.
We also recognize that with, for example, participation dans Centraide or whatnot, we have to participate in regional activities as part of the English-speaking community that supports food banks, health services, and whatever else. Part of the challenge for us is, to use an expression, to lift ourselves up with our own bootstraps as well to engage in that community.
That's the challenge that we have in our own communities, rather than giving up. We should not hesitate to be involved in community just because we are English-speaking Quebecers.
We have the right to participate in our community. We can choose to speak in French or in English.
I think we need federal support to encourage those activities that allow us to maintain that identity.
You know, English speakers are not just people who come from England, for example, or Ireland, or whatnot. The reality is that we have a significant previous immigrant population. We have francophones who chose to speak English, and we consider them part of the English-speaking community. It's their choice to participate as part of the English-speaking community.