Mr. Blaney, I can't tell you what the Oblates of Mary Immaculate were thinking at the time. However, I can say that there are two ways to view the matter. On the one hand, you can say that Campus Saint-Jean could definitely do more if it were more independent. On the other hand, its attachment to one of the major research universities in Canada is an undeniable asset that attracts to our institution very high-calibre professors, who enter a francophone faculty but within a large research university currently ranked as one of the best in the world.
Considering those two ways of viewing the matter, it seems to me complete independence wouldn't necessarily be the best solution. However, more independence is something we might consider.