Let me give you an example. In the last international assessment of essential skills, Canada provided the largest cohort of respondents. In fact, 27,000 people were surveyed in Canada, compared to 5,000 in the United States. Data from the international survey showed three overrepresentations in three francophone communities in Canada: New Brunswick, Ontario and Manitoba.
We therefore have clear evidence on levels of literacy, numeracy and digital literacy. In Ontario, 48% of francophones are level 1 and level 2 functionally illiterate. The level 1 functionally illiterate can barely read a very simple article. The level 2 functionally illiterate are lost if there is any complexity. In terms of numeracy, 56% of francophones in Ontario are functionally innumerate. Finally, 78% of francophones in Ontario are functionally illiterate in terms of digital literacy.
Think about it: our governments increasingly want access to services through the Internet, but 78% of Ontario's francophones are functionally illiterate. I'm sorry, ladies and gentlemen, but we have a big problem on our hands. Those most affected are our seniors. We must provide them with minimum support so that they can access services.
We have clear evidence, and we are also working with Statistics Canada. We have worked with Statistics Canada to create a link between essential skills, economic development, and social development in some communities. So we have data that help us know exactly where the problems are in certain communities.
Extrapolation also helps us. Archetypes help us determine, with some precision, the literacy level of people at a given age.
So we can use evidence to truly measure the needs of our communities. We are not throwing around figures indiscriminately. We rely on data from international surveys in which Canada has participated fully. Those data are all quite significant.