Bill C‑13 is a good first step. We worked with the Fédération des communautés francophones et acadienne du Canada and our elected representatives to put that bill together.
The bill is probably not perfect, but it is good, in my opinion. We would like it to be passed as soon as possible. I recognize that there are provisions in the bill that will avoid our having to wait as long as in the past, since the bill provides for a ten-year review of the new Official Languages Act.
In addition, regarding statistical data, there is starting to be a problem with the way that Acadians or francophones in Nova Scotia are counted, that we need to think about.
That gives me the opportunity to make a connection with a question you asked earlier.
In the past, special envelopes were given to the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council for research on the Canadian francophonie. I think it may be time to think again about whether we really want to support those communities. We have to be given ways to study ourselves and understand ourselves. Community organizations, like the Fédération acadienne de la Nouvelle‑Écosse and the organizations that belong to it, also have to be given an opportunity to hire researchers in our institutions.
That could be done through the future action plan for the official languages or by having an innovation fund. It could help people to understand our situation better and find innovative solutions, like immigration. Immigration could be a lifeline for the future of our community, but we must not just bring new people in, we also have to integrate them into our society.