Mr. Speaker, in his 1993 annual report, the Commissioner of Official Languages commented on the dire state of aboriginal languages in Canada. Statistics indicate that less than one third of aboriginal peoples can speak an aboriginal language well enough to carry on a conversation and that only one quarter have sound language skills.
While I deplore this situation, I wish to remind this House that it is in Quebec that aboriginal peoples have the best chance of retaining their language due in large measure to the support of the Quebec Department of Education and the open-mindedness of Quebecers. Studies carried out in 1991 show that 47 per cent of Quebec's aboriginal people speak a native language, compared, for example, to 21 per cent in Ontario. When compare to the rest of Canada, aboriginal people in Quebec are better off in most areas, for example, housing, income and health. These statistics are worth noting.