Honourable senators, it is an honour for me to speak to this motion moved by our honourable colleague Senator Miville-Dechêne.

I am pleased to add my voice to those of our colleagues in support of this motion, which is not just of provincial but also national importance. What needs to be said has been said, and eloquently so. I will be brief. I believe some of the key points need to be repeated because they go to the heart of one of Canada’s defining features, its official bilingualism.

Colleagues, whether your first language is English or French, or like me and a few of us, none of the above, we all have a huge stake in this.

Every one of us was appointed to the Senate to accomplish one of its fundamental objectives: To protect and defend the rights of minorities. Language rights and the equal status of English and French, as enshrined in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, certainly fall into that category.

While we do not nor should have the power to reverse decisions by the Government of Ontario, we do have the power — and indeed, the duty — to use our collective voice to show our steadfast support for our fellow Canadians in the Franco-Ontarian community. This strong and proud group comprises some 600,000 people, 145,000 of whom call this very city home.

As our colleague Senator Cormier said during last Tuesday’s sitting with regard to the Université de l’Ontario français:

The decision by the Government of Ontario to cancel the establishment of this first autonomous francophone university . . . represents a significant setback for the Franco-Ontarian community, the Canadian francophonie and the country as a whole.

These cuts — from La Nouvelle Scène theatre to the Université de l’Ontario français to plans to abolish the Office of the French Language Services Commissioner, which has now been reversed, and to French-language services more broadly — are indeed harmful to all Canadians of all linguistic backgrounds.

Colleagues, the Government of Ontario did indeed reverse its decision to abolish the French Language Services Commissioner and is transferring it to the provincial ombudsman’s office, but it did so only in response to the justified and ongoing outcry. I have my doubts about the true intent behind the proposed solution.

Even a government member expressed disappointment and frustration at the cuts. Amanda Simard is to be congratulated for condemning her own party’s decision, especially since she was only just elected. Her decision was a principled one.

Unfortunately, the Université de l’Ontario français will not be so lucky. The Attorney General — and, since Monday, Minister of Francophone Affairs — the Honourable Caroline Mulroney, blamed the decision to scrap it on “the fiscal realities of our province’s finances.”

Colleagues, Canada is revered the world over for many reasons. One of the biggest is our long-standing efforts, which have not been without difficulty over the years, to ensure our two official linguistic communities have equality of status. Thus its people are not superior to the other.

The world looks to us, to Canada, for guidance on this matter. We cannot choose to be short-sighted.

Honourable colleagues, this is not a French Canadian issue; it is a Canadian issue, period. I will proudly and strongly support this motion. I urge you all to do the same. Thank you.