Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you to all my colleagues on the committee who want to address the important issue of Laurentian University and the midwifery program. As has been mentioned, the current situation facing students, faculty, staff and the entire Laurentian University federation is truly unacceptable, and I want to reinforce that message.
Not only am I an alumnus of Laurentian University, but two of my three daughters were born with the help of a midwife, so I recognize the importance of the university. I also find the elimination of university programs such as the environmental studies program, the midwifery program, and the program related to physical activities to be troubling and unacceptable.
Over the past several months, our government has been following the issue very closely. In particular, the member of Parliament for Sudbury, Paul Lefebvre and I have been very active, both in Ottawa and locally, in seeking a solution. I would like to thank Minister Joly for her direct engagement with ministers Mulroney and Romano at Queen's Park, and Minister Monsef. I would also like to thank Minister Freeland for adding $121 million for French-language services in the budget. We'll come back to this a little later, but the federal government does have a responsibility for French-language post-secondary education.
We were at the table and we will continue to work to see what can be done to enrich the program and enable its continuation.
As we know, the province has a very important role to play in the ongoing court process, as post-secondary education is a provincial responsibility. So we hope to see a plan developed by the province shortly that will address ways to retain the trilingual institution of Laurentian University and support the midwifery program.
It is important that the federal government be at the table and that we find a solution together.
Let's be clear here. We have been at the table to try to find a solution, but obviously the court proceedings that Laurentian has undertaken are troubling. It has caused great concern for the community, the teachers, the students, the faculty and for the community at large. We have to find ways together to get a solution. We're really looking forward to this committee influencing and hopefully providing some solutions, some suggestions, and to seeing the provincial government coming up with a plan that we can support.
Again, I encourage all members here. As we indicated before, we are clearly supporting this motion and we want to ensure that we have the necessary time—three days—set aside. I want to thank our colleague Ms. Mathyssen for putting this forward too, but we have to pull out all the stops here because it's really upsetting to see the court proceedings. These court proceedings are very damaging to the reputation of the university. We have to find ways together to help the students and the faculty of the midwifery program but also of Laurentian University in general.
Thank you for putting this motion.
Thank you, Madam Chair, for letting me have the time to speak on behalf of my region, because it's affecting a lot of us. We have to find solutions together and make sure we make this a strong program moving forward.