Madam Speaker, we are incredibly fortunate to live in a bilingual country. Bilingualism is an asset that sets us apart on the international stage. French is not just an historical language. It is a living language that carries our culture and our collective voice everywhere.
Canada needs to broaden its economic horizons. We hear a lot about the need to build ties with other nations and expand trade. To fully achieve this goal, we must see our bilingualism as an advantage and never compromise on it.
If we truly want to flourish, we need to protect and promote French across the country. Simply stating that French is important is not enough. We need to cultivate our collective pride in our francophone heritage and history. We need to make French a pillar of our international presence, and we need to recognize that French is in decline in Quebec and across Canada.
Promoting French will enhance this country's linguistic and cultural ability to dialogue, exchange ideas and create. It will give us a strong voice for a better future. I invite my colleagues to become ambassadors for French across the country.