Official Languages committee  It's not fair to have only 15 seconds to answer that question. All I can say is that collaboration with the provinces is essential if the provinces are to get involved in francophone immigration. But I also think that we can expect to hear lots of other ideas on that score.

Official Languages committee  Housing. Even with a job, at minimum wage or even at two or three dollars more, they are all living below the poverty line. They are below the poverty line and want to be able to to pay for affordable housing. That's extremely important. There is also a lot of work involved in job integration, such as employer awareness and providing these employers with access to new employees.

Official Languages committee  If I may, Mr. Beaulieu, I might have a partial answer. I promise that it will take me less than 15 seconds, Mr. Arseneault. When I talk about the gap between public policy and the field, there is work to be done there. Those who accept and work on study permits abroad may not be particularly well informed about the current state of political will.

Official Languages committee  The way I see it, the IRCC Settlement Program is indeed.

Official Languages committee  I'm not sure whether I've answered your question.

Official Languages committee  Generally speaking, all the settlement services for newcomers are funded by this program. The Francophone Immigration Support Network is funded by this program, as is the Welcoming Francophone Communities program, in collaboration with Canadian Heritage. There appears to be collaboration with the OLSPs, the Official Languages Support Programs.

Official Languages committee  Of course. Point d'accueil francophone Is a new program that was introduced here in Ottawa. It has been a referral hub since 2020. It receives francophone immigrants and refers them to various services. It's a collaborative structure with 10 principal partners in Ottawa: school boards, economic groups, etc.

Official Languages committee  The Economic and Social Council of Ottawa-Carleton, CESOC, provides settlement services. All the services we offer are really part of a package, because we welcome them, and prepare a personal settlement and integration plan for them. We look at their training, their abilities, their experience and their skills.

Official Languages committee  I'll defer to Dr. Miville, because I don't really have any data on the capacity of Canada's francophone and bilingual universities to receive francophone immigrants. I don't really have anything to say on that.

Official Languages committee  Thank you very much. I believe that the worst thing that can happen in a francophone community is to lose a day care centre or not to have francophone child care services. Stories like these are heartbreaking, and I've heard a lot of them. A francophone day care centre just closed in Kingston because of a lack of human resources, not a shortage of clients.

Official Languages committee  x I have a theory about that, but I'm not sure I should really put it forward, unless Dr. Miville or Ms. Djiemeni would like to add something. Well then, I'll say it today. I will dare to say it here. The federal government really does have good intentions. I believe sincerely in the federal government's good intentions with respect to francophone immigration.

Official Languages committee  I'd say so. And I haven't in fact managed to finish my testimony, but my last recommendation was that the government set a priority on the 14 communities chosen by Canada to become welcoming francophone communities. The federal government has spent a lot of money to help us become communities.

Official Languages committee  That's a very good question. In 2021, we worked with the ACUFC, the Association of Colleges and Universities of the Canadian Francophonie, which requested a study, whose recommendations were published in November 2020. The recommendation was to meet with francophone postsecondary institutions to determine how this role might be performed.

Official Languages committee  Are you asking us?

Official Languages committee  Good. I'll take a few moments than to give you my version. The assimilation problem is definitely important. There is much to be done on that, particularly with francophone immigrants. We are working with some English-language institutions that accept them. In my presentation, I mentioned the importance of telling non-francophone institutions that receive immigrants, that they should inform their institutional or other services about who we are, why we are here and about the benefits of settling in francophone communities.