Official Languages committee  Absolutely.

Official Languages committee  Generally, in departments, we would like departments to have access perhaps to specific funding for official language minority communities. When we are in competition in the broader scheme for regular programs, we have to have bureaucrats understand that there is an English-speaking community, and there are myths around the English-speaking community.

Official Languages committee  I think our network would speak on behalf of the English-speaking community and say more resources are important, more money is important, but I think our network in our community would say let's do it smart and let's do it efficiently. For example ELAN, English Language Arts Network, is also working around entrepreneurship in the arts.

Official Languages committee  There is certainly higher employment, less underemployment, less poverty, and all of that, but the attribution of the programs to the success of this is very difficult. For us to start seeing successes, we believe that if we have a coordinated approach and we have collective action on something, and we decided amongst the English-speaking community of Quebec to do some work, for example on youth, something specific on youth, something specific on entrepreneurship, then we could develop our measures of success.

Official Languages committee  You asked what the federal government could do. There are the specific programs, but there's also the notion in Quebec—we talked about it in the opening remarks—of an economic development plan for official language minority communities. In 2008 the QCGN, with major stakeholders, prepared a report on economic development in Quebec.

Official Languages committee  We work on our relationship with our colleagues in Quebec, and I believe that what we have brought to the table over the years is a better understanding of how the English-speaking community can contribute to the economic prosperity of all Quebeckers. There's more work to be done.

Official Languages committee  Having worked with the Commissioner of Official Languages for many years now, I believe the commissioner's office does a great job in putting forward the notion of a linguistic duality, of bilingualism. The commissioner has been very active throughout his mandate in the regions.

Official Languages committee  I'd like to make another point, if I may. Our community in Montreal has a very high level of immigrants, so that's another consideration in Montreal. There's a high proportion of blacks, and we know of lots of studies around young blacks in Montreal who are underemployed. We also have—and we can make this available as well—a statistical portrait of the seniors in Quebec.

Official Languages committee  I think Stephen has stats. Generally, as well, our school system and our career guidance system need to ensure that English-speaking youth feel they have a future in Quebec and that they will be a part of Quebec. Of course one part is the job. But also, you have to feel that you are welcome, that you can stay and make a living here and you are recognized as being valuable to the community.

Official Languages committee  There is direct project funding available from the Quebec economic development program, $10.2 million over five years. That's of huge importance to our communities that can get projects. Many of the groups are working on projects as leverage with the provincial government or the municipal government.

Official Languages committee  First I'd like to say that Stephen Thompson, the director of policy, will be helping with some statistics along the way and in our answers to you. Unemployment among youth and English-speaking Quebeckers generally is high. It's high not only in the regions; it's high in Montreal as well.

Official Languages committee  Good morning, Mr. Chong, and members of the committee. It's a pleasure to be here. It's been a while since we've come and we're glad to assist you in your study around the economic situation of Canada's linguistic minority communities. For those of you new to the committee, the QCGN is a not-for-profit representative organization that acts as a centre of evidence-based expertise and collective action on the strategic issues affecting the development and vitality of Canada's English linguistic minority communities.

Official Languages committee  One last thing. While we're scoping out for the large priorities, there is still a need to scope back in to see if there are initiatives in one or two or other of the departments that the departments could take on, on behalf of the English-speaking community for a five-year stretch.

Official Languages committee  I think if I just leave you with the example of health and social services, the work that has been done in the area of health is paramount to everyone in our community. Will it ever end? Will there ever be a need to disengage from that? Some of the consultations with the province would tell us that while they are supportive of access to English for our community, there needs to be leverage, so leverage is always important to the English-speaking community.

Official Languages committee  Our president asked me to answer this one. I think a blended approach in consultation is important so that everyone understands they have been consulted. In the English-speaking community over the past many years, the connection of consultation to the road map has not always been understood.