Evidence of meeting #47 for Canadian Heritage in the 40th Parliament, 3rd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was cbc.
A recording is available from Parliament.
3:50 p.m.
Conservative
Royal Galipeau Conservative Ottawa—Orléans, ON
It wasn't a very good thing.
CBON is a good thing. Are there people who call it "c'est bon"?
3:50 p.m.
Community Project Officer, Association canadienne française de l'Ontario - Région Témiskaming
There used to be a program called C'est bon le matin, it's good in the morning. Mostly people say C-B-O-N.
3:50 p.m.
Conservative
3:50 p.m.
Bloc
Carole Lavallée Bloc Saint-Bruno—Saint-Hubert, QC
In Montreal, it's C'est bien meilleur le matin, it's better in the morning.
3:50 p.m.
Voices
Oh, oh!
3:50 p.m.
Conservative
Royal Galipeau Conservative Ottawa—Orléans, ON
With René Homier-Roy.
Well, naturally, the government doesn't manage the CBC, nor does this committee.
3:50 p.m.
Community Project Officer, Association canadienne française de l'Ontario - Région Témiskaming
So much the better.
3:50 p.m.
Conservative
Royal Galipeau Conservative Ottawa—Orléans, ON
So much the better, yes.
You came here to share your reactions with us. Is there a recommendation you would like to make to us so we can add it to the mix?
3:50 p.m.
Community Project Officer, Association canadienne française de l'Ontario - Région Témiskaming
Mr. Galipeau, nothing is sadder than when we call our national broadcaster to tell it that something is happening in our town and they can't send us anyone because they don't have funds.
Then I have to tell my community that they couldn't come because they didn't have enough money. It feels a little Mickey Mouse. That's what's sad.
Yes, we are a small region and we may not have as many francophones as elsewhere. But I think I am just as important on the Canadian playing field.
3:50 p.m.
Conservative
3:50 p.m.
Community Project Officer, Association canadienne française de l'Ontario - Région Témiskaming
I haven't had a chance to look at it.
3:50 p.m.
Conservative
Royal Galipeau Conservative Ottawa—Orléans, ON
I think we should make sure you get a copy.
I would be interested in knowing your reactions to the five-year plan. I would like to know whether you think that the plan is going to mean a better chance of solving the problems you identify.
3:55 p.m.
Community Project Officer, Association canadienne française de l'Ontario - Région Témiskaming
Yes, I would certainly like to see the five-year plan and be able to give you an answer.
3:55 p.m.
Conservative
3:55 p.m.
Conservative
Royal Galipeau Conservative Ottawa—Orléans, ON
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I don't intend to use more time than necessary. I have said what I wanted to say.
How much time do I have left?
3:55 p.m.
Community Project Officer, Association canadienne française de l'Ontario - Région Témiskaming
Mr. Galipeau, I had a chance to read the committee's report in February 2008. I read it Sunday afternoon, because it is over 200 pages long, to at least try to understand what had been done. That's why I mentioned that at one time New Liskeard had had a chance to have a bureau, but financial reasons prevented that from happening.
3:55 p.m.
Community Project Officer, Association canadienne française de l'Ontario - Région Témiskaming
Thank you, Mr. Galipeau.
3:55 p.m.
Conservative
3:55 p.m.
Liberal
Raymonde Folco Liberal Laval—Les Îles, QC
Good afternoon, Mr. Carrière.
I would like to tell you about my experience. Before I became the Liberal critic for La Francophonie, I was the Liberal critic for official languages. At that time, I travelled from one end of Canada to the other to meet with francophones from Canada, and obviously anglophones from Quebec. Two things struck me and I was told them over and over. The first is the old story of the abolition of the Court Challenges Program of Canada. Then the government restored it, in a way, but that caused great harm to French-speaking and English-speaking minority communities across Canada.
I am sitting on this committee for the day. I see an institution that I respect enormously, for a number of reasons, and that is maybe also going to lose a lot of blood and have its wings clipped. I think that institution has created a Canadian spirit for anglophones from sea to sea. It has also created a francophone spirit, a minority spirit, certainly, but francophone nonetheless, in all of Canada.
Mr. Carrière, what I am hearing from you makes me very afraid. I am afraid when I hear what you are saying about an isolated community in Northern Ontario, where the young people are already suffering a phenomenon called "language loss", which amounts to culture loss. It is inevitable when they listen to radio and watch television in English. Our generation does the same thing, but it's worse for young people. Once they have lost their language, it is almost lost forever.
I know the CBC is not run by the government. We all know it, but we also know that what the CBC can do also depends on the budgets it is allocated by the government, is that right?
3:55 p.m.
Community Project Officer, Association canadienne française de l'Ontario - Région Témiskaming
That's right.
