Thank you, Mr. Chair and members of the committee.
I would like to begin by acknowledging that I join today's meeting from the traditional unceded territory of the Anishinabe Algonquin Nation.
With regard to the study currently under way, I am pleased to tell you more about one of the seven measures proposed through the Action Plan on Official Languages 2023-28, namely the creation of the Centre for Innovation in Francophone Immigration in Dieppe, New Brunswick, including the implementation of a new grants and contributions program to support francophone immigration.
For the purpose of creating the centre and its programming, $25 million in funding over five years will help to capitalize on the expertise of francophone minority communities and facilitate their involvement in the testing of innovative projects with key partners in order to resolve barriers to francophone immigration, particularly with regard to the promotion of the communities internationally, the identification, support and recruitment of French-speaking applicants.
The centre's activities will strengthen the francophone lens in immigration programs, which will improve program outcomes with respect to the selection and admission of French-speaking applicants. These activities will also make immigration programs more accessible in order to increase the number of French-speaking applicants selected, and will better meet the labour needs of the various sectors of the Canadian economic. Ultimately, the centre's activities will foster demographic growth and economic development in francophone minority communities.
The centre's team members are in the process of operationalizing this program in order to launch it in the fall of 2023. The department has already begun engaging with various key stakeholders to inform them of this program's opportunities.
With that, I'd be happy to answer any questions from the committee.
I now turn the floor over to Mr. Jacques.