Official Languages committee  We are evaluating all the official languages programs, including these ones, among others, and we started a dialogue with the communities last year, specifically on those agreements. It's a little too early to say how that will materialize, but I'm convinced that we'll make improvements along the lines of what my colleague just said.

Official Languages committee  Indeed, we are in contact with the other federal institutions, or at least with a group of them, to guide them in discharging their responsibilities.

Official Languages committee  That's a good question. The answer is easy. First of all, I'll throw the question back at you by asking you how you answer Statistics Canada when you check the little box marked “first official language spoken”. But the real answer is that we rely on the community to define its members.

Official Languages committee  We feel it is their responsibility to determine to whom they offer services. But to conclude on this point, the numerical criterion on which we rely is the first official language spoken, as Canada understands that term.

Official Languages committee  That's a very good question, which I struggle with in my discussions with representatives from the communities themselves. There's no perfect allocation. You can argue from the point of view of numbers, as you just did, or from the point of view of need. Unfortunately, need is not as easily pegged as numbers.

Official Languages committee  You would have to invite my colleagues who manage that program. We didn't take part in the design of the Celebration program you're alluding to.

Official Languages committee  Yes, there is room for improvement, as in many other aspects of our relationship. We absolutely recognize that. But, first, I would simply like to add, to supplement what my colleague said, that some provinces don't have a recommendation committee. That's the case of some communities in Ontario and Quebec, in particular.

Official Languages committee  There are a number of types of criteria. If it were simply a pro-rated distribution based on population, we wouldn't have the figures we currently have. There's a whole cocktail of factors, including demographics. There are also issues relating to geographic dispersion. A small, widely dispersed community will score points: we realize that there are density problems, as a result of which they have to be given more support.

Official Languages committee  Part of the answer is political, and it's not appropriate for me to venture onto that ground. However, I would correct one of the assumptions of your question: that there is no increase. There was an increase in the amount entered in the agreements as reflected in the current cycle.

Official Languages committee  That wasn't indexed. You're right in that respect, but there was an increase in 2006.

Official Languages committee  To answer your first question, I would say that the provinces are not party to these agreements. However, the provinces are reflected in them to the extent that the priorities that the communities set for themselves have a lot to do with the provinces' ability to work with them, particularly as regards the supply of services.

Official Languages committee  Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I'll be making a few introductory remarks, my colleague as well. We are very pleased to be here. I know you have been studying the collaboration agreements for a few weeks now. For that reason, our remarks will be quite brief, because we assume you already know essentially what those agreements are.

Official Languages committee  A good part of what you are describing relies on a relationship of trust. Here is how agreements in education and in the services area work. First of all, the provinces accept the money that is transferred to them by the federal government because we all have shared objectives. There is therefore agreement on those objectives.

Official Languages committee  It is true that there still are some challenges in education. Earlier, we were talking about the fact that we are still having trouble recruiting all the rights holders, that is the students whose parents are entitled to enrol them in the minority language school. The challenge is greater in certain areas.

Official Languages committee  From what year to what year did you say?