Mr. Speaker, the comments made by the hon. member have more to do with the anecdotal than with facts. Statistics are mentioned and I find this very interesting. I do not accept everything the government says, including Statistics Canada.
I would like to talk about the birth rate. As you know, the birth rate of francophones living outside Quebec, and even of those living in Quebec, is lower than the natural replacement rate. This is something which Statistics Canada cannot explain, but which must be taken into account.
Moreover, no mention is made of the increase in Canada's population over the last 50 years. As we know, the population increased tremendously because of the massive immigration movement to Canada, which is known the world over as a good host country. In fact, this is why people came here and helped build the prosperous nation that we know. Canada's population has doubled over the last 50 years, but not the number of francophones living outside Quebec. These are the facts.
I realize that the proportion of francophones in Ontario is now smaller, but their actual number has remained stable. I find it regrettable that anecdotal information is being used and that, in this debate, we are told that a francophone married and anglophone and that their children are assimilated.
Let me tell you about my own situation. I would say that 95 per cent of my work is done in French and that 90 per cent of my speeches are in French. My wife's mother tongue is Spanish, and it is true that, at home, we speak English together. However, this does not mean that my children are not francophones.
In spite of what Statistics Canada may say, it does not necessarily mean that I am assimilated. Based on Statistics Canada's criteria, the member for Bonaventure-Îles-de-la-Madeleine is
assimilated because his family speaks English. But this does not tell the whole story.
My father, Alban Gagnon, and his mother, an Irish woman named Jones, spoke English together. However, my father worked to improve his skills and became bilingual. In fact, French was spoken in the family. My father works exclusively in French.
The same is true in the case of my great-grandfather. His story is even more interesting. He dared marry a Protestant, a Scot. You cannot imagine how strongly the clergy protested at the time. However, these people not only preserved their language, they managed to promote it and to learn a second one. This is more than anecdotal information. It shows that couples with French and English speaking partners can actually help its members improve their linguistic skills and their knowledge of both official languages.
Let us not forget that 30 per cent of Canadians are now bilingual. This means 10 million people out of a population of 30 million. This is very interesting.
I also note, while acknowledging the point made by the Bloc Quebecois, that French immersion programs for anglophones are a tremendous success. I will end on this note. I hope more English speaking Canadians will consider French immersion, as many have done over the last 15 years.