Thank you for the question.
I used to be a school principal in Chilliwack, Mr. Dalton. So I'm very familiar with the Fraser Valley.
You mentioned the situation in the countryside, and it's important to talk about that.
When a building is declared vacant or available, it should be offered first to francophones and indigenous people. However, the process is much more complex than might appear.
We went to Manitoba in search of land and buildings, but in vain. Property developers had often already purchased the buildings without anyone checking to see whether the indigenous or francophone communities had been consulted. We might not have acquired them in any event, but we are missing out on opportunities to acquire new buildings.