Official Languages committee  Let me say this again: we are going to ensure that all the people who speak either French or English will be able to communicate in the language of their choice, that they will be very well understood by everyone else and that the organizers will provide them with the tools they need to do so.

Official Languages committee  Let me go back to some of the things I was saying about these conferences. These conferences are about asking Canadians, what are you going to do about the 150th? They're going to be so regional, so local, that in every one of these communities we hope we will be able to bring in....

Official Languages committee  They will obviously have their say.

Official Languages committee  You have the list, so I won't repeat it. You are quite familiar with it, for that matter.

Official Languages committee  We have an objective. When we or the local committee organizes the conference, we hope that all the organizations you just mentioned can take part. Those who help us organize the conferences are facilitators. What comes out of the conferences will depend on the level of interest and preparation of the people invited.

Official Languages committee  Those people will be invited all over the country, to every conference.

Official Languages committee  These people will fuel our activities and share their stories with us. The important thing is capitalizing on Canada's diversity. We must celebrate that and showcase it in a different way. What matters is making people all across the country realize that Canada is really and truly a country of diversity.

Official Languages committee  As I see it, only we can produce these major historical programs like the one about Sir John A. Macdonald. In response to Mr. Dion earlier, I said there were two types of events: the upcoming conferences on the one hand, and these signature events on the other. What is important is how we share those events with the public, what programs will focus on those moments or tell those stories.

Official Languages committee  You are absolutely right, Mr. Trottier. We see the 150th anniversary of Confederation as the culmination of a journey that begins with major milestones in Canadian history and ends with the 150th anniversary celebrations. The last event of this magnitude that was celebrated was the 100th anniversary of Confederation.

Official Languages committee  I like to think so. I hope we are learning. Whenever a program of ours is introduced, we always do some research. We look not only at how the program was produced and funded, but also at what impact it has and whether it appeals to Canadians. Now, Mr. Dion, the great thing is that Twitter allows us to make all kinds of determinations in relation to performance indicators.

Official Languages committee  An essential one, a role that is reflected in the conferences being held in various cities across the country, in the groups that will emerge, and in the partners that will be brought together. All of that speaks to the importance we place on those communities. As you may know, half of Radio-Canada's stations are in minority communities, so they play a pivotal role.

Official Languages committee  With respect to the 150th anniversary?

Official Languages committee  CBC/Radio-Canada has a very clear understanding of its role as the public broadcaster. The corporation is applying that understanding to its mandate of connecting Canadians by sharing stories and providing a historical portrait of where the country has been and how it came to be what it is today.

Official Languages committee  Mr. Dion, there is no way I can comment on that because I am not the person in charge of programs, nor am I the one who monitors programming changes in detail. But I've made a note of your comment and I am going to make sure that we do—

Official Languages committee  Yes. The conferences will start in April, with the first slated to take place in Vancouver. We will cover 12 cities in all, with the last stop in Ottawa on June 27, 2013, just before Canada Day.