Official Languages committee  In addition to what all my colleagues have said, I would recommend that the government invest in post-secondary education for two reasons. First, as we have heard, there are great and urgent needs that must be met. Second, this investment would support the mandate of school board

Official Languages committee  I participated in this excellent program. It made it possible for me to spend one summer in Quebec and some Quebeckers came to Alberta to improve their English. Personally, I can say that my French really improved that summer thanks to this immersion program held in a French env

Official Languages committee  I believe it was an interprovincial government offered by the Alberta and Quebec governments.

Official Languages committee  We are still thinking about how that official status could fit into a new version of the Official Languages Act. What's important is providing some protection for second-language learning programs, including immersion programs. As we've heard today, these programs are somewhat at

Official Languages committee  Thank you, Mr. Chair. I want to thank you again for inviting us to testify in the context of this study on French and English as a second-language programs. Founded in 1926, the mission of the Association canadienne-française de l'Alberta, ACFA, is to defend the gains of the Al

Official Languages committee  I would say it varies and it depends on the field. In some fields, the relationship with the provincial government is excellent, but it is more difficult in other areas.

Official Languages committee  I'm sorry. The question was what kind of relationship our organizations have with the provincial government?

Official Languages committee  Overall, our relationship is good right now, as evidenced by the announcement last June of a policy on the francophonie. As to early childhood in particular, I will let Ms. Anderson answer.

Official Languages committee  There are francophones throughout the province. Of course there are more in Calgary and Edmonton, but there are pockets of francophones in the northeast, in the south, and in the Rockies. The francophone population is very spread out, but we are still a significant presence.

Official Languages committee  I think so, and I will let my colleagues in attendance today express their point of view on the issue. To come back to what Mr. Arseneault and Mr. Généreux raised earlier, I would say that direct funding for communities would ensure a more efficient use of funds. Right now, the

Official Languages committee  I don't have those statistics.

Official Languages committee  I’m sorry; I don’t know.

Official Languages committee  Yes, Mr. Arseneault. The ACFA is the representative of Albertan francophones. The ACFA speaks on behalf of all French-speaking Albertans. It wants to advance matters that affect the francophonie, including early childhood services. We work with all the other organizations, includ

Official Languages committee  Yes.

Official Languages committee  I no longer have the figures in front of me.