Official Languages committee  I'd also like to comment on Ms. Ashton's proposals. One factor wasn't mentioned, and that's that the number of enrolments in immersion and French-language programs has been rising steadily over the past 10 years. It's true that we still have to make up for lost ground, and we hope that a modernized bill will lend us even more support.

Official Languages committee  I believe its impact was truly important. In 2020, under the federal-provincial agreement, half of the 600 spaces available in child care centres were awarded to francophone children. Beyond consultation, I think that governments must take action. They acknowledge that the impact on minority language communities of not having access to day care services in the language of their choice was asymmetrical.

Official Languages committee  Of course. To return to the matter of the consultations and the regulations that stemmed from them, I'd like to point out that Manitoba was closely involved in legal action concerning the federal government and part VII of the Official Languages Act. The official languages regulations that resulted from consultations did not go far enough in addressing the needs of minority language communities.

Official Languages committee  The provincial government [Technical difficulty—Editor].

Official Languages committee  We are the proof that this approach can work because we have an agreement under which the provincial government is required to consult the community before making any decision so that the needs expressed by the minority are taken into consideration. The Manitoba example shows that this can work.