Hon. Claudette Tardif (Deputy Leader of the Opposition):

Honourable senators, my question is for the Leader of the Government in the Senate. On October 11, the Canadian Council on Learning, which will not have its funding renewed in 2012, published its report on the state of provincial education systems.

The conclusion is rather dismal. The lack of political will, the fear of intergovernmental conflicts and a lack of funding have resulted in mediocre literacy rates, slipping school performance and a serious shortfall in cutting-edge research. In addition, these factors directly affect Canadians' level of education and global competitiveness.

In light of the weaknesses identified by the Canadian Council on Learning, will the government finally acknowledge that the situation is urgent and that it must exercise the leadership required to develop a national learning strategy?

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