Official Languages committee  I'll give it a shot. You know, we have 10 regional members. There are some places in Quebec where there's not enough critical mass to have a good understanding of English-speaking Quebeckers. There's not a lot of work happening in Drummondville, and there's not a lot of work in

Official Languages committee  One major difference lies in our trajectory as a community. We have been in Quebec for hundreds of years and the English-speaking community has built its own institutions. The institutions have been there for many years, built by the community, not the Quebec clergy at the time

Official Languages committee  The Eastern Townships is a big one. The Îles-de-la-Madeleine is far. It's tiny, but it's important. I think that Quebec City is a fascinating example, because the number is small but the influence is large.

Official Languages committee  Canada's official languages strategies since the 2003 action plan have increasingly attempted to address the needs of English-speaking Quebec. Awareness of our community and the obligation of all federal institutions to take positive measures that enhance our vitality is growing.

Official Languages committee  We probably don't have a specific opinion on that, because I think that in the parameters of the program what's best for the community should be considered. If the answer to that is yes, then absolutely. We're not knowledgeable enough to figure out exactly if that's the one, but

Official Languages committee  There was a study by a group called COCo a couple of years ago. There are hundreds and hundreds of groups in Quebec that work in the English-speaking community, either they are directly involved in the English-speaking community or they are bilingual. Our 41 members also have m

Official Languages committee  It's a long time.

Official Languages committee  Absolutely, and in our community development plan that we came out with in March 2012, economic prosperity is one of our priorities—so economic prosperity as a priority, then the plan, and then implementation. I don't know if that's simple, but....

Official Languages committee  We're asking for a plan for Quebec. Any insertion of resources or expertise into creating a plan for Quebec is important. It can come from anywhere. It could come from the province if we could get them to accept that we need a plan in Quebec. I think now that a plan is on the tab

Official Languages committee  I worked many years ago when there were tax credits. I saw the benefits of tax credits. There are fors and againsts around tax credits. One of the things we thought we had been successful with was when we asked the provincial government how they could help the English-speaking co

Official Languages committee  A plan is the key. If we don't have a plan, people do this and do that, and then I come back to the measures question. I come back to try to understand and ask, what is it accomplishing? How can we put our stories together because then we have stories here, there, and wherever,

Official Languages committee  As I said earlier, we have been advocating for a plan in Quebec for a long time, since 2008, according to our study. We have never been able to find a way to bring people together. We have often told the government that we needed a plan. We now hear that there will be a plan. Ou

Official Languages committee  I would answer in this way with a couple of examples. We're very happy with the work that the Quebec economic development program does in Quebec because it is worked by project. So when Youth Employment Services asked to have a project with the Gaspé and with the Voice of English

Official Languages committee  Absolutely.

Official Languages committee  Absolutely.