Evidence of meeting #95 for Official Languages in the 44th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was young.
A recording is available from Parliament.
9:30 a.m.
Senior Research Associate and Advisor, Quebec English-Speaking Communities Research Network
As I said, the issue is too complex for me to speak to.
9:30 a.m.
Conservative
Joël Godin Conservative Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC
Thank you, Dr. O'Donnell.
I'd like us to talk about federal funding, and I emphasize the word “federal”, for English-language institutions compared to French-language institutions in official language minority communities.
Can you give me the proportions?
9:30 a.m.
Senior Research Associate and Advisor, Quebec English-Speaking Communities Research Network
I can tell you about our centre. As I said, I can't compare it all, but what I can compare—
9:30 a.m.
Conservative
Joël Godin Conservative Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC
What I understand is you don't have the answer, Dr. O'Donnell.
Is that correct?
9:30 a.m.
Senior Research Associate and Advisor, Quebec English-Speaking Communities Research Network
I have the answer for our centre.
9:30 a.m.
Conservative
Joël Godin Conservative Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC
I understand, Dr. O'Donnell. You can't know the situation across Canada. That's very legitimate. I don't mean to put you on the spot.
If you have the information or if your research service can provide it to us, I would urge you to send it to our clerk, who will forward it to us.
My next question is about the structure of your organization. Who created your network?
9:30 a.m.
Senior Research Associate and Advisor, Quebec English-Speaking Communities Research Network
It was established with funding that the federal government had provided to the Canadian Institute for Research on Linguistic Minorities, or CIRLM, located at the Université de Moncton. In the beginning, there was a partnership between Concordia University and the CIRLM to secure our funding.
9:30 a.m.
Conservative
Joël Godin Conservative Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC
Today, your organization is, I would say, housed. I'll put it that way first and see what ties you have with Concordia University.
Are your offices physically located at Concordia University?
9:30 a.m.
Senior Research Associate and Advisor, Quebec English-Speaking Communities Research Network
Yes.
My colleague Patrick Donovan will respond to that.
9:30 a.m.
Conservative
Joël Godin Conservative Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC
I think I got my answer. I understand that the offices of your network are physically located at Concordia University.
9:30 a.m.
Senior Research Associate and Advisor, Quebec English-Speaking Communities Research Network
9:30 a.m.
Conservative
Joël Godin Conservative Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC
Do you represent a lot of organizations, educational institutions?
April 18th, 2024 / 9:35 a.m.
Patrick Donovan Research Associate and Advisor, Quebec English-Speaking Communities Research Network
Our research network comprises about 80 researchers, and a third of those researchers are francophone. We have researchers interested in English-speaking communities who come from a number of universities in Quebec, Canada and internationally.
So at Concordia, we do work with a lot of universities, not in isolation.
9:35 a.m.
Conservative
Joël Godin Conservative Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC
So your organization doesn't represent Concordia University or argue in its favour.
Is that correct?
9:35 a.m.
Research Associate and Advisor, Quebec English-Speaking Communities Research Network
No.
9:35 a.m.
Conservative
Joël Godin Conservative Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC
Like all the other institutions, you'll probably tell us that you are in need of funding. However, in Quebec alone, what proportion of federal funding goes to French-language institutions versus English-language institutions?
Can you give me a brief outline?
9:35 a.m.
Research Associate and Advisor, Quebec English-Speaking Communities Research Network
I don't have the data on federal funding. However, according to the data on provincial funding, funding per student is the same at all universities, English-language and French-language alike.
9:35 a.m.
Conservative
Joël Godin Conservative Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC
Okay.
You understand that we're at the federal level here and I'd have appreciated an answer about federal funding. If you're able to provide that to us, it would be greatly appreciated.
We thank you for your availability.
Ms. Bouffard, I will now turn to you. You say that your institution is the smallest and least expensive French-language institution. What are you basing that on?
9:35 a.m.
President, Université de Saint-Boniface
It's the smallest and least expensive French-language institution in Manitoba, not of all such institutions across the country.
USB is the only French-language institution in Manitoba, but it's the least costly of all Manitoba's postsecondary institutions, all languages combined.
9:35 a.m.
Conservative
Joël Godin Conservative Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC
Is it the least costly institution because it's underfunded?
9:35 a.m.
President, Université de Saint-Boniface
Yes, USB costs less because it receives less funding. Funding is granted based on urban thinking, in a way, whereas the reality is quite different.
If you look at rural institutions, they are—
9:35 a.m.
Conservative
Joël Godin Conservative Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC
I'm sorry to interrupt.
What economic impact do francophone immigration and foreign students have on your university?
9:35 a.m.
President, Université de Saint-Boniface
Foreign students make up 21% of our student body, and that's quite a sizable portion. In terms of tuition fees—
9:35 a.m.
Conservative
Joël Godin Conservative Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC
I'm going to interrupt you.
What does the future look like to you?
