Thank you, Gino.
My mom was persistant that both of her kids would learn French even though my dad was indifferent and derisive at times about the French language; again, this is a meat-and-potatoes west coast person. She persisted and I went through the late French immersion program in Burnaby and my sister went through the francophone program in Vancouver. I went to Simon Fraser University and studied chemistry, and I never thought I'd come back to the French language. After I graduated from university, I decided I wanted to live in Montreal. I wanted to see another part of the country, and I wanted to experience another part of the country. It was one of the best things that I did and I had that opportunity because I had French as a background.
When I was living in Montreal, I was invited to come back to work for Canadian Parents for French. I've now spent the last eight years advocating for kids just like me and Patrick so that they can have the same opportunities that have changed our lives.
It seems to me—and Diane mentioned this in her remarks—that the challenge is that because I live in a community like Vancouver, in a few years when I have kids, I will have to line up and I will have to put my name in a lottery to get my kids into these programs. It will be the luck of the draw whether or not they get to participate in the program.
My strongest recommendation for this committee is to recommend that we extend those rights and guarantees to families like Patrick's and mine.
Thank you.