My question is for the Government Representative in the Senate. It is about the report tabled last week by the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages. According to the 2016-17 annual report, language proficiency tests for French-speaking economic immigration applicants are more expensive than the English tests and not as geographically accessible, and service delivery timeframes are longer.

Why are services not equally available in English and French? When will the minister eliminate these obstacles to francophone immigration to Canada?

Hon. Peter Harder (Government Representative in the Senate): I thank the honourable senator for her question. Last week Senator Smith was kind enough to point out his son in the gallery before he posed his question. I indicated that, "You must be grateful to have your son up there. I'm grateful mine isn't," which is what I said last week.

But I do appreciate the question. The government takes the report seriously. The minister is reviewing its findings and will respond in due course. This is a matter of high priority. The Minister of Immigration, when he was here taking questions in the Senate, referred to the concern that we have a robust francophone immigration dimension, and this is one of the pieces that would allow us to achieve that objective.

Senator Gagné: The issue was brought to the minister's attention in 2015 after the investigation began. Why did so much time pass between the beginning of the investigation and the problem being brought to light? Why has the government not yet responded to this?

Senator Harder: I can't answer that, senator. I would be happy to raise the subject with the minister.

I would note, though, that the minister and his predecessor minister have indicated priority attention to this while engaging in other serious reforms of the immigration program, and I will bring this to his attention.