Mr. Chairman, members of the Standing Committee, I was pleased to accept the invitation to appear before your standing committee and to present my brief as part of your study of the vitality of the official language minority communities. I thank you for your cordial gesture to me and to our agency, the Alliance Jeunesse-Famille de l'Alberta Society.
Mr. Chairman, the organization I represent, the Alliance Jeunesse-Famille de l'Alberta Society, is a non-profit francophone organization that provides assistance to immigrant youth and families in Alberta in the areas of education and crime prevention. Its ultimate goal is to enhance Canada's cultural diversity. The Alliance Jeunesse-Famille de l'Alberta Society fosters respect for Canada's linguistic duality and promotes its cultural diversity.
We are aware that we live in a context in which respect for linguistic duality often poses problems for us and threatens the vitality of our official language minority communities. Through the support for Official Language Communities Program, the survival of most of the community organizations is directly attributable to this program. I want to assure you that this program, the SOLCP, plays an essential role in the development and vitality of our communities.
Mr. Chairman, in March 2003, the federal government established the Action Plan for Official Languages, an action plan that includes section 17 of the accountability and coordination framework, which precisely describes the steps that each federal institution must take in its strategic planning and in the performance of its mandate as regards official languages. The current government has also expressed its commitment to this action plan. I think that this gesture is a positive measure with respect to our official language minority communities.
Another positive gesture was that the Government of Canada wanted to give more points for knowledge of one of the official languages in its selection of the best candidates in its new Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. Another cause for congratulations is the amendments made to the Official Languages Act, to its Part VII, with Bill S-3, in which every federal institution will have a duty to take positive measures for the official language minority communities.
The Government of Canada's commitment to come to the aid of our official language minority communities takes many forms. We francophones see this commitment in areas such as education, health, justice, early childhood, immigration, arts, the economy, and I could go on. However, our communities received a surprise in September when the federal government announced budget cuts that threw a spotlight on the survival of our official language minority communities. I don't want to go into detail about these budget cuts, since the majority of our members across the country have already submitted many complaints about this.
Mr. Chairman, I am certain of and aware of the role that your committee plays in developing official language policies in our country. I would like to inform you that our organization, the Alliance Jeunesse-Famille de l'Alberta Society, through its programs and services, is a vibrant and valuable presence in the Albertan francophonie that manifests itself through the participation of our youth and women members on various consultative committees, as guests, delegates and active members. Indeed, our programs and services offer our members opportunities to be heard and to contribute to the vitality of the francophonie by giving them a chance to participate in various activities in partnership with community and government agencies at the local, regional, national and international level.
I can mention a few programs that our youth participate in, such as the Canada Youth Exchange Program, the Young Canada Works in Both Official Languages Program, the Alberta Youth Parliament, the Alberta Francophone Games, the Youth Mobility Program with the Agence intergouvernementale de la Francophonie, and UNESCO's Youth Consultations. We feel that participation such as this contributes to the vitality of the francophonie and also helps integrate effectively into Canadian society.
In addition to these activities, we maintain very good relations with Quebec agencies such as the Fondation de la tolérance and the Chantier d'Afrique, with which we collaborate through the Community Financial Support Program administered by the Secrétariat aux affaires intergouvernementales canadiennes or SAIC.
Mr. Chairman, given that your committee plays a very important role in developing official languages policy, I would like to give you some recommendations.
That the Standing Committee on Official Languages ensure that the federal government's commitment to the official language minority communities respects the equality entrenched in the Canadian Charter.
That the Standing Committee on Official Languages ensure that the federal government take positive measures under Bill S-3 to benefit the official language minority communities while respecting the consultation process set out in the accountability framework in the Action Plan for Official Languages.
I hope that my presentation has given you a better understanding of our participation in the survival of the official language minority communities. I want to take this opportunity to congratulate you on your study of the vitality of the official language minority communities. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to address your committee. I am ready to take your questions.
Thank you.
