Mr. Speaker, the Journée internationale de la Francophonie, which we are celebrating today, is of particular importance this year.
On March 20, 1970, three great statesmen, Léopold Senghor, Habib Bourguiba and Hamani Diori, along with officials from 21 states and governments having in common their use of French, created what was to become the Agence internationale de la Francophonie.
Thirty years later, the states and governments of the Francophonie are meeting again in Niamey, to mark this anniversary, at the invitation of the Secretary General of the Francophonie, Boutros Boutros-Ghali.
The fact that membership grew from 21 participants in 1970 to 55 in 2000 reflects the vitality of the French language around the world. Quebec will soon be a member of that group, as a country.