Official Languages committee  I must admit that I'm unable to comment on the issue of language provisions. As for education, I know that it's very difficult for the federal government to interfere in provincial powers. That's how the system is designed. It has to be respected and other ways of working together have to be found.

Official Languages committee  I think I have only a few seconds left.

Official Languages committee  Okay, Mr. Chair. Acfas has indeed been promoting research in French in Quebec and Canada, and even internationally. The mission hasn't changed in 100 years. We are well served by the Quebec government in terms of funding. I'm pleased to be able to say so. I'll take the liberty of adding something important.

Official Languages committee  What we're asking for in terms of amendments to the Official Languages Act is relatively simple. The amendments consist of changing one word for another and adding a phrase somewhere else. However modest that may be, it would have a major impact on an organization like ours. It would be the first time that there is a mention of francophone knowledge and research in French.

Official Languages committee  Yes, it's an excellent question and I'll answer it from memory because I don't have my computer in front of me to check the exact wording of Bill C‑13. I previously mentioned the changes we were proposing for those aspects of the bill pertaining to positive measures. Positive measures can represent leverage to encourage the entire machinery of government to comply with and espouse the principles of the act.

Official Languages committee  I'm going to stay within the limits of what we're proposing. You mentioned the granting councils. We propose to work together with them to ensure they afford the best possible conditions for researchers wishing to submit their applications in French. That's a recommendation that we made in our June 2021 report.

Official Languages committee  Today, there is a continuum of French-language education from early childhood to university. While it can't undo what's happened in the past, it is a step forward, which may at least lay some positive and equitable new foundations for francophones and anglophones.

Official Languages committee  I'll be brief. My organization's position on the bill and the consultations conducted this past summer on the Action Plan for Official Languages has nothing to do with any defence of the budgets allocated to research. The granting councils have their research budgets. I'm trying to facilitate the conditions of access to funding applications, and that access is made possible by support for the vitality of the francophone minority communities, which are home to francophone researchers, who are moreover well established in their communities.

Official Languages committee  I propose that the words “peuvent notamment comprendre” be replaced by “comprennent”. The sentence would then be more declarative.

Official Languages committee  Yes. It would read as follows: “…d'information scientifique...notamment en soutenant la recherche et la vie scientifique”.

Official Languages committee  My colleague and closest ally, Lynn Brouillette, who is the president and chief executive officer of the Association des collèges et universités de la francophonie canadienne, is the best person to tell you about universities and their funding. Ms. Brouillette and her organization are trying to improve the funding and recognition of educational institutions, whereas I work at the individual level.

Official Languages committee  It's closely linked to Bill C‑13; that's clear. I won't comment on the French-language research situation around the world. I'll be focusing on Canada because the data we have concerns this country. It comes from the study we conducted together with some leading researchers. Here are a few figures.

Official Languages committee  That's great.

Official Languages committee  Mr. Chair, members of the Standing Committee on Official Languages, good afternoon. I am really honoured to be with you today. Thank you for this opportunity to discuss a very important issue: the vitality of French-language research in Canada. My name is Sophie Montreuil, and I am the executive director of Acfas, an association that has been working in the sciences for nearly a century.