Are you asking me?
Evidence of meeting #27 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 province.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Evidence of meeting #27 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 province.
A recording is available from Parliament.
9:40 a.m.
Director General, Economic Development Council for Manitoba Bilingual Municipalities
Are you asking me?
9:40 a.m.
Liberal
9:40 a.m.
Director General, Economic Development Council for Manitoba Bilingual Municipalities
The survival and vitality of our communities really depends on four pillars. The two major ones are education and health. The third is culture, which concerns all of our institutions and has a daily impact. The last pillar is the economy. It is very important that these four pillars can work together on the ground. It's this synergy that is here, in Manitoba, because of an exercise we did in 2008 to ensure that our organizations work together. It's no different from what I've seen elsewhere, even on an international level. People often tend to work in a vacuum, to protect their own little territory and to forget that they are there as beneficiaries to ensure the full growth and development of our communities.
We saw this in St. Laurent, for example. I was a school principal for 16 years and taught for nine years in communities where the ethno-linguistic vitality was fading. The community took charge through an educational program, which made sure that people developed new cultural references. They re-emerged in the socio-institutional communities, including recreation facilities and major festivals. That is why that community now has the Festival Manipogo and one of its exhibitions is in Washington.
After being beaten down for 100 years, people regained their pride. We mustn't forget either that this happened to the Métis twice at the hands of the anglophone majority and even of the French-Canadian communities. Today, francophones can be found in health centres and schools that are part of the large family of the Franco-Manitoban School Division and the network of 631 francophone schools in Canada, outside Quebec. It's an about-turn that no one expected. It's because of taking charge and leadership from the community that this could happen.
So hopes are high, but the four pillars need to work hand in hand.
9:45 a.m.
Conservative
9:45 a.m.
Conservative
John Williamson Conservative New Brunswick Southwest, NB
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I would like to thank the witnesses for being here today.
Mr. Antunes, you gave us a number of figures on the current situation of minority communities in Canada. I am increasingly convinced that, in Canada, minority communities are doing just as well as majority communities in regions where economic growth is good and where the economy is strong. However, they are not faring as well when there are no jobs or economic growth. Some minority groups, such as aboriginal peoples, are not participating in their community's economy, but that is not the case in official language minority communities.
Do your figures support that observation?
9:45 a.m.
Deputy Chief Economist and Executive Director, Conference Board of Canada
It is important to mention that the figures I gave you were taken from the 2006 census. We would like to do the study again with new data, but it's a lot of work and our resources are limited, as everyone can understand.
Based on the demographic data, it is true that in regions where growth has been strong, there has been an increase in the francophone population. It is certainly also related to the situation of the francophone communities. There needs to be stronger growth in Alberta, Saskatchewan and even Newfoundland than in the other regions we spoke about, particularly Ontario and New Brunswick, which are facing significant challenges.
Basically, people whose mother tongue is French are not favoured because of demographics. I mentioned that in Quebec, about 30% of the population is under the age of 25. We know that the average age in Quebec is higher than the rest of Canada. In the other francophone communities outside Quebec, it's half that, in some cases. In Alberta and some other regions, only 15% or 11% of the population is under 25 years of age. There are some fundamental problems that are very difficult to fix when it comes to demographics, potential growth and future contributions.
9:45 a.m.
Conservative
John Williamson Conservative New Brunswick Southwest, NB
I imagine that you agree with the fact that governments can't do much to encourage families to have more children.
9:45 a.m.
Deputy Chief Economist and Executive Director, Conference Board of Canada
It's difficult, but I think that Mr. Chiasson…
9:50 a.m.
Conservative
9:50 a.m.
Deputy Chief Economist and Executive Director, Conference Board of Canada
We spoke about the importance of other francophones whose mother tongue is not French. That's important. Teachers of French as a second language are in demand. I think that promoting the francophonie outside Quebec makes an important contribution. Canada as a whole is facing a challenge with respect to economic growth. In particular, there was the baby boom. I think you spoke about it. Those challenges will be overcome in large part through immigration. We could also look at that for the francophonie.
9:50 a.m.
Conservative
John Williamson Conservative New Brunswick Southwest, NB
Ms. Hébert, could you please tell us about the situation in Moncton, where economic growth is strong, the unemployment rate is lower and the participation rate is higher than the Canadian average?
I think it's a positive situation for francophones in New Brunswick. It shows that positive things are happening in our region.
9:50 a.m.
Director General, Conseil économique du Nouveau-Brunswick
Yes, absolutely.
Moncton has a very diversified economy. So, if things go badly in a given sector, it does not affect the economy of the entire region. That's its first asset. Bilingualism is its other asset. In fact, the Moncton population is the most bilingual in the country. The two communities have learned to work together and use it as an advantage. If francophones have higher salaries in urban areas, it's because it is mostly francophones who are bilingual. This type of advantage really encourages the promotion of bilingualism. Moncton used the advantages of bilingualism and managed to attract outside companies because of its bilingual status.
Moreover, the entire artistic side—Maurice spoke about it earlier—which is significantly rooted in the francophone community, makes Moncton an interesting city. Many factors are at the heart of this prosperity.
9:50 a.m.
Conservative
John Williamson Conservative New Brunswick Southwest, NB
Mr. Nicholls, could you tell us a bit about the situation of anglophones who work in arts and culture in Montreal?
9:50 a.m.
Conservative
9:50 a.m.
Conservative
9:50 a.m.
Conservative
Corneliu Chisu Conservative Pickering—Scarborough East, ON
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I would like to thank the witnesses here for their presentations.
I will ask my question in English.
This is a question for all.
Is it possible to measure the economic contribution of official language minority communities to the Canadian economy?
9:50 a.m.
Director General, Economic Development Council for Manitoba Bilingual Municipalities
Is the question for everyone?
9:50 a.m.
Director General, Economic Development Council for Manitoba Bilingual Municipalities
I think that Mr. Antunes, from the Conference Board, is in a better position to answer that question. In fact, the last Conference Board of Canada study, which was published recently, shows very clearly that each dollar invested in the francophonie is worth $1.54.
I'll turn it over to Mr. Antunes.
9:50 a.m.
Deputy Chief Economist and Executive Director, Conference Board of Canada
Yes, in fact there was a study we've offered to the committee that looks exactly at the economic impact of the francophone community and the economic contribution. I think the important piece from that is not only is the direct contribution quite large—about 19.5% of total GDP from workers, essentially, that are maternal French—but also there is an impact on the rest of the economy.
It's a little bit of a supply chain impact that we looked at. It's a little unusual to look at supply chains from a community rather than an industry aspect, but we did that exercise with StatsCan. We found there is a multiplier of above 1.5. In other words, we also contribute, and there's a positive impact outside the francophone community that we shouldn't forget about, as well.
9:55 a.m.
Conservative
Corneliu Chisu Conservative Pickering—Scarborough East, ON
This economic potential is undervalued.... Can it be improved? What tools are necessary, eventually, to further capitalize on this development?
9:55 a.m.
Deputy Chief Economist and Executive Director, Conference Board of Canada
Maybe I could just touch on the undervalued. In fact, I think for the most part, the francophone community within and outside Quebec makes a greater contribution than the average population, with the exception of New Brunswick, as we discussed. I'll leave the solutions to my colleagues here.
