Evidence of meeting #45 for Official Languages in the 40th Parliament, 3rd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was aboriginal.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Sarah Jerome  Commissioner, Languages Commissioner of the Northwest Territories
Shannon Gullberg  Legal Advisor, Languages Commissioner of the Northwest Territories
Richard Létourneau  President, Fédération Franco-Ténoise
Léo-Paul Provencher  Executive Director, Fédération Franco-Ténoise
Jean de Dieu Tuyishime  Director, Réseau Territoires du Nord-Ouest Santé en français, Fédération Franco-Ténoise
Émos Dumas  Coordinator, Immigration et Franco 50, Fédération Franco-Ténoise
Rachelle Francoeur  Coordinator, Jeunesse Territoires du Nord-Ouest, Fédération Franco-Ténoise
Jackson Lafferty  Minister, Education, Culture and Employment and Minister responsible for Official Languages, Government of the Northwest Territories
Benoît Boutin  Senior Advisor (French Languages Services), Department of Education, Culture and Employment, Government of the Northwest Territories
Dan Daniels  Deputy Minister, Department of Education, Culture and Employment, Government of the Northwest Territories
Laura Gareau  Director, Department of Municipal and Community Affairs, Government of the Northwest Territories
Sonya Saunders  Director, Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment, Government of the Northwest Territories
Lorne Gushue  Official Languages Consultant, Department of Health and Social Services, Government of the Northwest Territories

9:40 a.m.

Legal Advisor, Languages Commissioner of the Northwest Territories

Shannon Gullberg

I think you've hit the nail on the head. It always boils down to resources. I think that's the bottom line. I don't think it's a lack of willingness on the part of the government to promote cultural events and to promote language growth. I don't think that's the issue. It's always the money. If there were a bottomless pot of money, I think that some of the things we've talked about this morning would magically happen.

Certainly, having more resources means having more ability to have more offerings to promote the language. There are some good things going on. The francophones have developed a collège, where people who don't know any French can take anything, including a course on advanced skills in writing for business in French. That's amazing. My understanding is that those courses are well attended.

The more of those things that can happen and be promoted, I think the better. Certainly, groups like the cultural association are invited to the schools for various activities, both on the aboriginal days and then when there are francophone cultural days. Again, the more money they have, the more they can provide and promote. I don't mean that in a crass way. That's simply the reality of the situation.

9:40 a.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Steven Blaney

Thank you.

Thank you very much, Mr. Généreux.

We will begin our second round with Mr. Bélanger.

9:40 a.m.

Liberal

Mauril Bélanger Liberal Ottawa—Vanier, ON

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Madam Jerome and Madam Gullberg, I'd like to get a sense of the relative importance, I guess, the relative use, of the 11 languages in terms of the number of people--the percentage of the population--who use them. Does that exist?

9:40 a.m.

Legal Advisor, Languages Commissioner of the Northwest Territories

Shannon Gullberg

That certainly does exist in statistics. If that's something you're interested in, the office could certainly provide you with that.

9:40 a.m.

Liberal

Mauril Bélanger Liberal Ottawa—Vanier, ON

Offhand, would you know?

9:40 a.m.

Legal Advisor, Languages Commissioner of the Northwest Territories

Shannon Gullberg

Well, if you look at French, it would be about 10% of the population in the territories that feels functionally bilingual. Of course, people have different ideas about what that means, but they would feel functionally bilingual. You look at a language such as Gwich'in and it would be a very small percentage, and--

9:40 a.m.

Liberal

Mauril Bélanger Liberal Ottawa—Vanier, ON

Okay. So where would that put French? Would it put it third or second?

9:40 a.m.

Legal Advisor, Languages Commissioner of the Northwest Territories

Shannon Gullberg

Oh, I would say second.

9:40 a.m.

Liberal

Mauril Bélanger Liberal Ottawa—Vanier, ON

The first would be English?

9:40 a.m.

Legal Advisor, Languages Commissioner of the Northwest Territories

Shannon Gullberg

English, yes.

9:40 a.m.

Liberal

Mauril Bélanger Liberal Ottawa—Vanier, ON

Which aboriginal language would be used most?

9:40 a.m.

Legal Advisor, Languages Commissioner of the Northwest Territories

Shannon Gullberg

Probably Tlicho, I would say.

9:40 a.m.

Liberal

Mauril Bélanger Liberal Ottawa—Vanier, ON

That would come third...?

9:40 a.m.

Legal Advisor, Languages Commissioner of the Northwest Territories

Shannon Gullberg

Yes, I would say that's probably third.

9:40 a.m.

Liberal

Mauril Bélanger Liberal Ottawa—Vanier, ON

Okay.

Madam Gullberg, you were the commissioner prior to Madam Jerome.

9:40 a.m.

Legal Advisor, Languages Commissioner of the Northwest Territories

9:40 a.m.

Liberal

Mauril Bélanger Liberal Ottawa—Vanier, ON

How long were you the commissioner?

9:40 a.m.

Legal Advisor, Languages Commissioner of the Northwest Territories

Shannon Gullberg

For four years.

9:40 a.m.

Liberal

Mauril Bélanger Liberal Ottawa—Vanier, ON

From what year to what year?

9:40 a.m.

Legal Advisor, Languages Commissioner of the Northwest Territories

Shannon Gullberg

From 2004 to 2009.

9:40 a.m.

Liberal

Mauril Bélanger Liberal Ottawa—Vanier, ON

In 2008?

9:40 a.m.

Legal Advisor, Languages Commissioner of the Northwest Territories

Shannon Gullberg

Yes, 2008--that's better.

9:40 a.m.

Liberal

Mauril Bélanger Liberal Ottawa—Vanier, ON

Okay. They were tumultuous years.

9:40 a.m.

Legal Advisor, Languages Commissioner of the Northwest Territories

9:40 a.m.

Liberal

Mauril Bélanger Liberal Ottawa—Vanier, ON

Would the commissioners, either Madam Jerome or yourself, table an annual report?