Evidence of meeting #18 for Official Languages in the 41st Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was business.
A recording is available from Parliament.
10:30 a.m.
NDP
Manon Perreault NDP Montcalm, QC
Okay, but you have probably heard that cuts would be made to that funding.
10:30 a.m.
Acting Director General, Policy, Research and Programs Branch, Policy and Communications Sector, Canada Economic Development
Are you talking about the other fund, the Enabling Fund for Official Language Minority Communities?
10:30 a.m.
Acting Director General, Policy, Research and Programs Branch, Policy and Communications Sector, Canada Economic Development
That fund is not really related to what we do. In other words, it's not part of our mandate, but of another department's mandate. We have actually heard about this, since we work with associations to keep abreast of what is happening, but we work directly with promoters—the non-profit companies or organizations that provide services to businesses.
Our mandates are not quite the same; we are not in the same line of work. We are continuing to do what we were doing before. Associations are more affected by the cuts. There is no impact on the work we do at our business offices in terms of economic development.
10:30 a.m.
NDP
10:30 a.m.
Acting Director General, Policy, Research and Programs Branch, Policy and Communications Sector, Canada Economic Development
Exactly.
10:30 a.m.
Conservative
John Williamson Conservative New Brunswick Southwest, NB
Thank you, Chair, and thanks to all the witnesses for coming in today.
Mr. Aucoin, I'm going to begin with you. You had some interesting stats, which Mr. Godin questioned.
I want to look at the situation in New Brunswick. When you look at the cities of Moncton, Fredericton, or Saint John, how is unemployment in those areas? Can you comment on that—or the job growth or the opportunity that exists there—in particular as compared with rural New Brunswick?
I would ask you to keep your answer short, if you could, please.
10:30 a.m.
Director General, Policy, Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
The unemployment levels in the larger cities of New Brunswick are generally lower than in other parts of the province. In fact, this morning in L'Acadie Nouvelle, I think on page 4, there was a full-page article that said that bilingualism in the southeast of New Brunswick is a very profitable thing in the Moncton area.
10:30 a.m.
Conservative
John Williamson Conservative New Brunswick Southwest, NB
That's right. In fact, it's not just that francophones are heading to Alberta; they are heading to places like Moncton and Saint John, where there is opportunity, and jobs particularly in the energy sector.
Would you agree with that?
10:30 a.m.
Director General, Policy, Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
There has been quite a bit of intraprovincial migration within the province of New Brunswick.
10:30 a.m.
Conservative
John Williamson Conservative New Brunswick Southwest, NB
Can you comment on the unemployment in the south as well, say in Charlotte County? I don't know how specifically you know the province in the south.
Or rather, are you aware that high unemployment is also a problem in the rural anglophone areas as well as in the francophone north?
10:30 a.m.
Director General, Policy, Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
Of course. We're aware of the unemployment challenges across Atlantic Canada, and we're doing, as I mentioned, what we can to address those challenges.
10:30 a.m.
Conservative
John Williamson Conservative New Brunswick Southwest, NB
Yes. I'm just trying to get a few facts out there.
In fact, the unemployment rate in our cities in Atlantic Canada is lower than it is in Ontario; there are some remarkable success stories of job creation and opportunities.
This is a challenge that we have—I'm going to focus on New Brunswick—in rural New Brunswick that is really outside any linguistic issue.
10:30 a.m.
Director General, Policy, Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
As I mentioned in my answer earlier, there are some very strong trends affecting rural areas not just in Atlantic Canada but across the country and affecting both anglophone and francophone communities in our region, and we're doing all we can to counter this trend.
April 3rd, 2014 / 10:30 a.m.
Conservative
John Williamson Conservative New Brunswick Southwest, NB
I'm going to come back to you. I have a few questions for Ms. Guimond from Western Economic Diversification.
Could you talk to me a little about what is happening in Saskatchewan? We had a group in a few weeks ago who said that the labour force participation of minority language groups in Saskatchewan is very high, in line with what we see for the majority language group, the idea being that as people work in this province there are opportunities, and francophones are participating at higher levels than elsewhere in the country. By that, I mean that the labour force participation rate is higher in Saskatchewan because of the opportunity, and we're seeing this with both English-speaking and French-speaking groups.
Do you agree with that? Can you comment on it? I'll leave it at that, because I want to ask other questions.
10:35 a.m.
Director General, Operations-Manitoba, Western Economic Diversification Canada
Yes, there are opportunities for both francophones and anglophones. Actually, in the west there are some really good opportunities and good jobs. The west is doing well in small and medium-sized businesses, and there are strong resource sectors, with lots going on. We've mentioned Alberta quite a few times.
10:35 a.m.
Conservative
John Williamson Conservative New Brunswick Southwest, NB
The business opportunities and the growth seem to be, in Saskatchewan, with potash, natural gas, and resources in general. Is that correct?
10:35 a.m.
Director General, Operations-Manitoba, Western Economic Diversification Canada
Yes, I'd say those are the major areas, absolutely.
10:35 a.m.
Conservative
John Williamson Conservative New Brunswick Southwest, NB
And because of that we're seeing that growth and labour participation rates are quite high—
10:35 a.m.
Director General, Operations-Manitoba, Western Economic Diversification Canada
Yes.
10:35 a.m.
Conservative
John Williamson Conservative New Brunswick Southwest, NB
—and unemployment ultimately is very low, the lowest in the country, I believe.
Mr. Aucoin, I'll come back to you. What is New Brunswick doing in terms of its natural gas and some of its resource development?
10:35 a.m.
Director General, Policy, Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
Do you mean...? I'm sorry, Mr. Chair—
10:35 a.m.
Conservative
John Williamson Conservative New Brunswick Southwest, NB
Just give it to me in terms of your expertise. I'm not asking about government policy, but could you compare a little bit? We see what's happening in Saskatchewan with resource development. What is going on in New Brunswick with shale gas, for example?
10:35 a.m.
Director General, Policy, Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
Mr. Chair, it's very difficult for me as a federal public servant to comment on the actions of another level of government; however, I can say—
