Official Languages Committee on Dec. 4th, 2012

[Voices]

Oh, oh!

[David Wilks, Conservative, Kootenay—Columbia, BC]

I wasn't. I was looking at Ms. Michaud.

[Voices]

Oh, oh!

[David Wilks, Conservative, Kootenay—Columbia, BC]

When we look at the challenges this country has faced over the last 100-some years, and the mistakes we've made along the way, we realize that sometimes we Canadians don't learn from our mistakes. We tend to want to repeat them from time to time to make sure they were wrong the first time.

I wonder if there's been any thought to reaching out to western Canada, especially from the perspective of Saskatchewan and Alberta, which have fairly high francophone populations. We might be able to learn from the challenges they overcame in trying to integrate into a society that I'm sure wasn't too accepting of them in the 1910s and 1920s, probably as a result of fear more than anything else. Has there been any thought given to looking at that angle?

[Jean-Luc Racine]

Not specifically, but that is definitely an interesting angle. We have very active representatives in Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia. In fact, some of them already do a lot of work with the anglophone communities, in Manitoba and Saskatchewan, in particular. That isn't as common in Alberta, but I believe those kinds of efforts are being made.

In terms of bringing the communities together, the idea that French-speaking seniors reach out to their English-speaking counterparts more often certainly lends itself well to the celebrations. Yes, I do believe those kinds of initiatives are worth pursuing and this occasion is the time to do so.

[The Chair, Conservative, Michael Chong]

Good. Thank you.

Mr. Gourde, over to you.

[Jacques Gourde, Conservative, Lotbinière—Chutes-de-la-Chaudière, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you to the witnesses.

Mr. Racine, you advanced the idea of using New Horizons for Seniors to enhance projects or put them in place. I would like to explore that further, since you are the first to suggest such an idea to the committee. I think there is merit in looking at that.

[Jean-Luc Racine]

Actually, the program already has some criteria that are quite similar, so it wouldn't require any major changes. What it would require is tweaking the program criteria to allow groups to submit proposals specifically for the celebrations in 2017. I feel that is important. It would require adjusting the criteria a bit.

I think any such adjustment should go hand in hand with increased program support. It would be easier for the government to do that than to set up a new program and a new funding mechanism. I believe that building on existing programs and injecting a bit more into them would really go a long way.

[Jacques Gourde, Conservative, Lotbinière—Chutes-de-la-Chaudière, QC]

Would that initiative allow seniors to share their part of history?

[Jean-Luc Racine]

There could be a variety of initiatives. We suggested four, but other seniors groups may have different ones. All this one, in particular, would require is a tweaking of the criteria with a view to certain 2017 anniversary objectives. What should those criteria be? I can't say exactly, but there is no doubt that the current criteria are well-suited to our proposal. They simply need to be reworked a bit.

[Jacques Gourde, Conservative, Lotbinière—Chutes-de-la-Chaudière, QC]

Mr. Dubeau, would it be possible to build a cultural component into that initiative?

[Éric Dubeau]

I think you and your colleagues asked questions about very specific measures or initiatives. I would encourage you, instead, to think about a policy framework that you can use to support a whole slew of efforts. Clearly, sharing our stories is the key here. But those stories can be shared in writing, through social media, in documentaries, in more traditional television productions and so forth.

Does part of the solution lie in reworking that particular program? Perhaps so, but it also lies in a series of other strategies and measures that you will have to reject and clarify in the days and weeks ahead, I imagine.

[Jean-Luc Racine]

My remarks focused solely on the senior perspective, but I think we need to look at the big picture, and consider all the programs and possible additions to other initiatives.

[Jacques Gourde, Conservative, Lotbinière—Chutes-de-la-Chaudière, QC]

Thank you.

I believe my time is up.

[The Chair, Conservative, Michael Chong]

Thank you, Mr. Gourde.

Thank you to our witnesses.

I just want to make the committee aware that, right now, we have no witnesses planned for Thursday. No witnesses means no meeting.

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

We could invite representatives from the Canadian Coast Guard's marine rescue centre in Quebec.

[The Chair, Conservative, Michael Chong]

If it so pleases the committee.

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

Surely, there is unanimous agreement on that.

[An hon. member]

Ha, ha!

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

There are other candidates as well, such as representatives from the Maurice Lamontagne Institute.

[The Chair, Conservative, Michael Chong]

Thank you, Mr. Godin.

Thank you, everyone.

Meeting adjourned.