Official Languages Committee on Dec. 6th, 2011
Evidence of meeting #18 for Official Languages in the 41st Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was funding.
A recording is available from Parliament.
On the agenda
MPs speaking
Also speaking
- Louise-Hélène Villeneuve President, Alliance des femmes de la francophonie canadienne
- Jean-Luc Racine Director General, Fédération des aînées et aînés francophones du Canada
- Dorothy Williams Program Director, Black Community Resource Centre
- Gemma Raeburn-Baynes Partner, Black Community Resource Centre, and President, Playmas Montréal Cultural Association
- Manon Beaulieu Director General, Alliance des femmes de la francophonie canadienne
9:45 a.m.
Director General, Alliance des femmes de la francophonie canadienne
Yes, it happens to everyone.
9:45 a.m.
Conservative
Guy Lauzon Stormont—Dundas—South Glengarry, ON
Mrs.Williams, I find your organization very interesting. There are a couple of things you mentioned. Do you not have charitable status?
9:45 a.m.
Program Director, Black Community Resource Centre
No, we don't.
9:45 a.m.
Conservative
9:45 a.m.
Program Director, Black Community Resource Centre
Yes, it is.
9:45 a.m.
Voices
Oh, oh!
9:45 a.m.
Program Director, Black Community Resource Centre
Incredibly so.
9:45 a.m.
Conservative
9:50 a.m.
Program Director, Black Community Resource Centre
No, it has nothing to do with that.
One of the corollaries of 9/11 and the federal government's response at the time was a change in charitable status and the way in which people apply. The grandfather clause applies for groups that already had the status, but new groups can no longer.... Because we have the Black Community Resource Centre, we very clearly state as our mission and our mandate that we're serving English-speaking blacks. You cannot get charitable status if you are making a specific statement about a particular community. It has to be open to all, by implication.
December 6th, 2011 / 9:50 a.m.
Conservative
Guy Lauzon Stormont—Dundas—South Glengarry, ON
In answer to Mr. Bélanger, you mentioned that in the next road map the government should describe what they think success is, and that you should have the opportunity to describe what your organization thinks success is.
What do you mean by success? What is success to your organization?
9:50 a.m.
Program Director, Black Community Resource Centre
Wow! Well, it's on many different levels. What is success for us would be—
9:50 a.m.
Conservative
9:50 a.m.
Program Director, Black Community Resource Centre
Okay, in 20 words or less, if somebody comes into my organization with a particular issue, I would love to be able to sit down with that person and know that we have access to resources that take care of their immediate issue. We ask the person what they are doing, how they are doing, and what kind of support they need. Maybe it's educational, maybe it's employment, and those resources are available. Our teams can work with.... In other words, a holistic approach—
9:50 a.m.
Conservative
Guy Lauzon Stormont—Dundas—South Glengarry, ON
But the resources are available in the community. You simply refer that person—
9:50 a.m.
Program Director, Black Community Resource Centre
In our community, that's right. And that's one of the reasons why we need to build strong organizations.