Thank you, Madam Chair.
I would like to begin by thanking the three witnesses. Ms. James, Ms. Tecson on and Ms. Bourret, your testimony is very precious. Thank you for being here today to talk about both the importance of the midwifery service and the importance of Laurentian University.
That is why, as a Quebecker, I would like to, on behalf of the Bloc Québécois, express our solidarity with Franco-Ontarians in terms of their growing struggle for their language's survival. I am thinking of young people and members of the northeastern Ontario francophone community, who deserve quality services without having to move to Ottawa or to Quebec.
For a number of years, we have been seeing an erosion of French-language education. Laurentian University was providing services by and for francophones. For us, that is crucial. In your opening remarks, you mentioned the importance of being able to receive services in your language at a stage as critical as giving birth.
Without further ado, I will ask my first question, but I want to remind you that I am also trying, as a Bloc Québécois member, to untangle all this because the university, education, health and midwives are the jurisdiction, as you mentioned—