Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you for the question. It is not about a preference for appointing people who are not bilingual. Candidates for key positions, and I am talking about the positions you just mentioned, are selected on the basis of a whole host of criteria related to skills, experience, availability, willingness to serve and so on. Language is an important factor but not necessarily the only factor.

With regard to the Government of Canada’s commitment to this issue, it is important to point out that approximately 40% of public servants are bilingual. The government is moving forward with revisions and with Bill C-13. I hope that we will soon have the opportunity to thoroughly examine this bill, which is an important step in protecting and promoting French and linguistic minorities in Canada.