Official Languages Committee on Nov. 27th, 2007

[Richard Nadeau, Bloc, Gatineau, QC]

I am happy that we are beginning to see some progress. The Official Languages Act was proclaimed in 1969, and the federal government is starting to accomplish something. As they say, better late than never.

Montreal is home to 47% of Quebec's population. That province's Law 101 was instrumental in teaching the French language to the children of the Quebec nation. In Montreal, there is a gap between allophone immigrants who learn to speak only the English language and allophone immigrants who learn to speak only the French language. In the data that is available, in Charles Castonguay's studies, for example, the English language is the winner. And therein lies a problem. Earlier, I spoke of language transfer. I think the correct term would be “language substitution”. Assimilation is taking place in Montreal, a city which is the heart of Quebec and which represents the special nature of the Quebec nation within North America.

I would like to deal with that aspect. I am convinced that you are aware of language substitutions and the danger that they represent. We need the support of the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages. It is important to promote the French language throughout Quebec in order to maintain the French fact that is Quebec, a province that covers less than 2% of North America.

I will ask you a direct question, and you can tell me whether or not you are able to answer it. Do you think that the ability to speak both French and English should be a requirement for an ambassador for Canada, a country which is considered to be bilingual?

[Graham Fraser]

Mr. Chairman, the answer is yes.

[Richard Nadeau, Bloc, Gatineau, QC]

That is an excellent answer. I have just returned from a ministerial meeting of the Francophonie in Laos. How can Canada be part of the Francophonie when its ambassadors, its frontline representatives abroad, cannot speak French, even in a situation such as that one? It is rather disappointing.

Thank you very much.

[The Chair, Conservative, Steven Blaney]

Thank you, Mr. Nadeau.

The commissioner recently issued a report on that subject.

We will now move on to the government side and hear from Mr. Luc Harvey.

[Luc Harvey, Conservative, Louis-Hébert, QC]

First, Mr. Fraser, allow me to thank you for returning to see us on what is almost the first anniversary of your appointment.

I am married to an anglophone from Ontario. We live in Quebec, and my children are fluent in both languages, English and French. My eldest daughter has just returned from Mexico where she went to learn a third language, Spanish.

Do you think that they are assimilated?

You seem to be saying that anyone who learns a second language is about to become assimilated. In my opinion, the more bilingual Canada becomes, the more likely everyone will be able to speak two or even three languages, as is the case in many European countries where people speak two languages plus one more. There, people are bilingual and they have a knowledge of a third language. Here, if we learn a second language, we are moving closer to being assimilated, something that must absolutely not happen.

Am I in the process of being assimilated?

[Graham Fraser]

Mr. Chairman, if I said something that might give one the impression that learning a second language is a step towards becoming assimilated, then I apologize. I will read the transcript to see if I erroneously gave that impression. That is exactly the opposite of what I meant. I believe that the knowledge of a second language represents an asset, and a bridge towards other languages. That is something that I have said throughout the country, when speaking to anglophones as well as to francophones; bilingualism is not a barrier, it is a door that opens onto the rest of the world.

I believe that the honourable member is saying that it is easier to learn a third language than it is to learn a second one. I will tell you something that is anecdotal, but is nevertheless interesting. A number of young Canadians travelled abroad. Some of them went to South America, where they studied Spanish. Others went to Japan, where they learned to speak Japanese, or to China, where they learned to speak Chinese, or to India, when there learned to speak Hindi. But how many of these young people started by first learning the other official language? I find it fascinating to see how the new generation considers language to be a natural tool for learning about other cultures, and for truly becoming citizens of the world.

Through the chair, I would like to extend my congratulations to the honourable member's daughter.

[Luc Harvey, Conservative, Louis-Hébert, QC]

I have four daughters.

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[Luc Harvey, Conservative, Louis-Hébert, QC]

How much time do I have left, Mr. Chairman?

[The Chair, Conservative, Steven Blaney]

You have one minute and a half.

[Luc Harvey, Conservative, Louis-Hébert, QC]

As a follow-up to my question, you know that our committee published a report on the Vitality of Official Language Minority Communities; there were 38 recommendations in that report. I imagine that you have read it.

[Graham Fraser]

Yes.

[Luc Harvey, Conservative, Louis-Hébert, QC]

And you are aware of the 38 recommendations?

[Graham Fraser]

Yes.

[Luc Harvey, Conservative, Louis-Hébert, QC]

Of those recommendations, which ones should the committee tackle first as it moves ahead with the linguistic communities file?

[Graham Fraser]

That is a very good question. I should have reread the report before coming here today.

One thing that I did read, though, Mr. Chairman, was the government's response to the recommendations. What I found surprising was that the 38 recommendations dealt with things that the government should do, while, in response, the government listed what had already been done, with the notable exception of a program related to challenges surrounding access to employment. In its October 6 response, the government said that it was in the process of developing a program. To me, that meant that they would follow up on at least one of your recommendations, instead of simply providing you with a list of what had already been done.

But perhaps I could ask Mr. Finn to answer the question.

[The Chair, Conservative, Steven Blaney]

Saved by the bell.

I apologize, I almost forgot our last questioner, Mr. Godin.

[Yvon Godin, NDP, Acadie—Bathurst, NB]

How could you do that?

[Some voices]

Oh, oh!

[The Chair, Conservative, Steven Blaney]

Need I remind you that I am the chairman of this committee?

[Yvon Godin, NDP, Acadie—Bathurst, NB]

You said that our ambassadors must absolutely speak both languages. How do you feel about our deputy ministers?

[Graham Fraser]

Obviously...

[Yvon Godin, NDP, Acadie—Bathurst, NB]

Thank you for your answer; I will now move on to my next question.

[Some voices]

Oh, oh!

[Graham Fraser]

One of my current themes is leadership. So, if I am right in saying that mastering both official languages is an essential component of leadership, it follows that deputy ministers who, by definition, are public sector leaders, should by all means learn to speak both official languages.