Mr. Speaker, I was very impressed by an ad placed by the francophone community of Alberta in the Wednesday edition of Le Soleil two weeks ago.
What it said reflected the concerns of French speaking communities across Canada. Canada is recognized around the world as a bilingual country where both English and French are spoken. The future of the French language in Canada would be seriously threatened in a divided country. It is obvious.
Francophones were among the founders of cities like Moncton, Winnipeg, Regina and Edmonton. The voyageurs who discovered new territories and the settlers who farmed this new land are but a few examples of this. We must not break the ties between Quebec and francophone communities in the other Canadian provinces. Together, we are stronger, much stronger.
I will conclude by quoting the French Canadian Association of Alberta and saying, on behalf of all francophone communities in Canada, that the French language has a place in Canada, and so does Quebec.