Official Languages committee  There's a clash of visions here. The problem won't be solved until the federal government adopts a territorial approach to Quebec and stops applying to Quebec what it provides for francophones outside Quebec. Between the two of us, this is a symmetrical approach, but we know very well that the situation isn't symmetrical.

Official Languages committee  Take that money and send it to the organizations that promote French outside Quebec. I'm sorry, Mr. Chair. I cheated and I'm not proud of it.

Official Languages committee  At the rate Canada assimilates francophones in its anglophone provinces, it isn't surprising there's a shortage of French teachers. Unfortunately, there are also a lot of francophones in Quebec, although relatively fewer than elsewhere, whose main language has become English as a result of circumstances.

Official Languages committee  I believe that Quebec claims exclusive jurisdiction over immigration. This is the territorial approach, of which I am very much in favour because no self-respecting nation can allow another to tell it what it wants. The concept of nationhood is important. Immigration is a major factor in the situation and future of a nation.

Official Languages committee  In Canada and North America, this equality of status is good for French. However, when all programs are put on the same footing, the minority official language will always be at a great disadvantage. Equality on the ground is measured by the availability of resources for creation, production and dissemination.

Official Languages committee  Mr. Parent, do you want to answer that question first?

Official Languages committee  The situation at the airports was raised earlier. What is Canada's international image? It's actually the image of an anglophone country. Let's admit it. Just try to find French in Canadian embassies and consulates. You may find some, but not very much. The image of Canada as a francophone country doesn't exist.

Official Languages committee  You can see the result. My apologies.

Official Languages committee  He wasn't a great student.

Official Languages committee  The reason we're here is precisely to invent, think about and reflect on programs or ways to redevelop structures so that French doesn't solely occupy a defensive position. I think the Canadian francophonie and Quebec deserve much more than that. What we need to establish is a position that enables the French language and everything related to it, such as culture and communications, to expand and advance.

Official Languages committee  It doesn't matter, since the total is 30% for a mother-tongue population. I don't mean "historical" here. When the Constitution was adopted, it was for the historical minority at the time. Nothing that's been added for the English-mother-tongue population is part of that same vision and, in our view, it should all be allocated to the French-language education system.

Official Languages committee  It comes from both private and public funding. However, we're talking about 30%. That's a documented figure. The English-mother-tongue population of Quebec represents 7.6% of the total population. Allow me to finish. You will understand as we do…

Official Languages committee  Mr. Chair and members of the Standing Committee on Official Languages, we are definitely pleased to accept your invitation. I believe that, in some respects, cultural diversity is now on the defensive all around the world. The concept of nations is increasingly being undermined, and national and international languages are necessarily being shoved aside by the Americanization and anglicization of cultural preferences.

Official Languages committee  You're right.

Official Languages committee  How is it that the committee, whose mandate concerns official languages, is concerned by this situation 30 years after the Official Languages Act was passed? How is it that we are still dealing with a situation like the one we're describing? I believe you have some serious thinking to do about your mandate, and I invite you to do it because the results, when you consider the numbers, since we're talking about numbers and statistics here, clearly show that the last 30 years haven't produced the desired results in terms of numbers.