Mr. Speaker, this year marks the 50th anniversary of the British Columbia French-Canadian Federation.
Last month, the federation held 50th anniversary celebrations; there was much to celebrate, including six community centres, two bilingual caisses populaires, three housing co-ops, French-language libraries, a weekly newspaper, an education service for francophones, education and training services for adults, immersion courses for students, a professional theatre company, a chamber of commerce, and French-language court services.
The 60,000 francophones living in Maillardville, Vancouver, Prince George, Kamloops, Kelowna, Powell River, Nanaimo and other communities throughout the province are proud of their heritage, their culture and their roots, which will always belong to them.
I would ask my colleagues to join me in wishing the British Columbia French-Canadian Federation a happy anniversary and in commending it for its 50 years of successful work and its commitment and dedication to the cause of the French-speaking community outside Quebec.