Official Languages committee  I would like to talk about my personal experience. I have two young children. My daughter is quadrilingual; she speaks English, French, Polish and Spanish, and I don't need to tell her to learn a second language. We don't need to tell the young generation to learn a second language.

Official Languages committee  That is why Table 867 worked with CanNor so that we could get funding to target those sectors in particular. I know that, last year, or two years ago, people from CDÉTNO went to Europe. They were invited to go and present the beauties of the Northwest Territories. So there is a target market in the francophone community's strategies to attract people from those francophone countries.

Official Languages committee  Yes, that's important. In fact, it is also very important for us to develop attractive products and to ensure that we have whatever is necessary to support tourism on site. It must be understood that nothing is easy in the high north. There are major challenges. There are challenges related to distance, infrastructure, communications, telecommunications and capacity.

Official Languages committee  CanNor was created in 2010, so we have really been involved in official languages for about two years now. Among other things, we've used the roadmap funding to leverage more funding from our other contribution budgets. As I mentioned earlier, the strategic investments in northern economic development program represents $90 million over five years.

Official Languages committee  Mr. Chair, I'm not a tourism expert, but I will do my best to give you an intelligent answer. I believe that the Olympics did a lot to help make the north known. We know that Canada's Northern House, which was on site in Vancouver, was a major success. It introduced people to the north and the beauties of the high north.

Official Languages committee  Thank you, Mr. Chair. First, we work in close cooperation with the francophone communities, which are linguistic minority communities in the north. Some 2.5% of the total population of the high north live in francophone communities. For them, we have used the funding provided to us through the economic development initiative, the EDI.

Official Languages committee  In Nunavut, for example, we are trying to attract francophone entrepreneurs. That is why we have just financed a business incubator project there. This is a place where there are many business opportunities, but where the wherewithal is not always there. If we can develop this business incubator, we will be able to encourage francophones to settle in the region and to invest in businesses that have innovative ideas.

Official Languages committee  Mr. Chair, members of the committee, good morning. My name is Michel Robillard, Vice-President of the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency, CanNor, and the agency's official languages champion. Today I am accompanied by Yves Robineau, head of finance. Patrick Borbey, the President of CanNor, would have liked to attend this meeting, but he is unfortunately out of town.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Yes, Mr. Bagnell. I can speak for our priorities in the north, and right now one of them is diversification of the economy. That's why I've been emphasizing at the committee that CanNor is investing in different sectors of the economy, because one of our main goals is diversification, and the traditional economy as well as tourism and cultural industry.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Many of the 202 projects that I spoke of are not yet announced, but I will share the list of projects approved and announced.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  It is likely the case, but I will try to consult the transcripts of that discussion, because I cannot remember. I was not here in March, but I will be able to provide an answer to your question by consulting my colleagues. If you will allow me, I can ask our office staff to send you the answer to that question.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Yes, it's in answer to the question about education from Mr. Lévesque. As I mentioned, Mr. Lévesque, the question you are asking me should probably be addressed to Human Resources and Skills Development Canada. In fact, it has specific programs, and my colleagues who work in that area would be able to also answer that question.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  With respect to the Mackenzie gas project, the Major Projects Management Office is working right now with the different partners and stakeholders on this project. On May 3, CanNor launched the NPMO, Northern Project Management Office, and the role we're playing right now is to attend meetings with MPMO, because MPMO is responsible for the Mackenzie gas project, so they may be in a much better position than I am right now to answer that question.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  I will try my best, but I can come up with a more thorough answer. We know that this project synopsis report is a key document to go further in potentially getting other funding if the decision is made to go ahead with this highway. So we've really been funding this PSR. CanNor did that.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  No. We'll come back.