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.
3:55 p.m.
Liberal
Raymonde Folco Liberal Laval—Les Îles, QC
This government may intend to cut its funding, which would hurt everyone and would hurt your community in Northern Ontario enormously.
Do you want to say something about that?
3:55 p.m.
Community Project Officer, Association canadienne française de l'Ontario - Région Témiskaming
I might not want to paint such a black picture. That wasn't my intention in coming here. What I really wanted to do was show the importance of allocating solid budgets.
I read somewhere that the CBC was created in 1929 because the American influence on Canada had been realized. That is one reason why the CBC was established in 1936. I don't want us to forget that now, in 2011. America is still just as close.
3:55 p.m.
Community Project Officer, Association canadienne française de l'Ontario - Région Témiskaming
It may be closer, true.
Yes, I have satellite television, but I don't get any American station. That is a choice I decided to make. We should be proud of what we are. Either we are Canadians or we aren't. I think that shows the importance of the CBC/Radio-Canada, we must not forget that. It unites us and shows us a different image. Yes, I am in America, but I am also Canadian.
3:55 p.m.
Liberal
Raymonde Folco Liberal Laval—Les Îles, QC
It isn't just the question of America, I agree with you. It's also a question of getting news, of seeing yourself reflected in the information your get, local information from your region.
3:55 p.m.
Community Project Officer, Association canadienne française de l'Ontario - Région Témiskaming
That's right.
3:55 p.m.
Liberal
3:55 p.m.
Community Project Officer, Association canadienne française de l'Ontario - Région Témiskaming
That's right.
3:55 p.m.
Liberal
Raymonde Folco Liberal Laval—Les Îles, QC
But in a country as rich as ours, we should be able to tell people who are isolated, as your community is, that they can get information that relates to them directly.
4 p.m.
Community Project Officer, Association canadienne française de l'Ontario - Région Témiskaming
We want to get information that makes us proud to get it, in our language, too.
4 p.m.
Community Project Officer, Association canadienne française de l'Ontario - Région Témiskaming
News is not handled the same way by an anglophone as by a francophone.
4 p.m.
Community Project Officer, Association canadienne française de l'Ontario - Région Témiskaming
Did you read my brief? I wrote it with passion because that's how I am. When I go to meetings where there are anglophones, I have to be careful, because I speak with passion. People think I am losing my temper, but I'm not. That's how we are.
4 p.m.
Community Project Officer, Association canadienne française de l'Ontario - Région Témiskaming
That's right.
4 p.m.
Liberal
Raymonde Folco Liberal Laval—Les Îles, QC
You know, we talk about the dominant culture. It is true that in Canada, English is the dominant culture, because we are surrounded by so many anglophones. That's to be expected. But we, and I think I speak for several of us on this side of the table and maybe even for the people on the other side of the table, we want there to be some protection for minority cultures.
We have seen a government apologize to aboriginal children. That was a good thing.
4 p.m.
Community Project Officer, Association canadienne française de l'Ontario - Région Témiskaming
Yes.
4 p.m.
Liberal
Raymonde Folco Liberal Laval—Les Îles, QC
But rather than wait another 50 or 60 years for other cultures to disappear, it might be time for this government to do something concrete. That is why you came here, Mr. Carrière.
4 p.m.
Community Project Officer, Association canadienne française de l'Ontario - Région Témiskaming
Yes, that is why I came here, Ms. Folco.
Where I come from, people say we don't need to learn English because it's like a disease. It will come on its own. We are surrounded by what is going on around us.
As well, we have learned that in order to do better economically, it is best to know both languages. I say all the time that I like my country so much that I learned English and French. When people criticize me, that's my answer.
March 21st, 2011 / 4 p.m.
Bloc
Roger Pomerleau Bloc Drummond, QC
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Carrière, for the presentation you made with so much feeling.
You were right to point out that the CBC originated from the need of English Canadians to distinguish themselves from the United States and protect themselves, culturally, from the invasion of American culture. If I am not mistaken, that need, among English Canadians, is probably 100 times stronger for you. You are completely isolated. You need to protect yourselves from anglophone culture if it becomes too invasive.
4 p.m.
Community Project Officer, Association canadienne française de l'Ontario - Région Témiskaming
I don't think the important thing is to protect ourselves, Mr. Pomerleau. The important thing really is to show that we are proud of what we are.
4 p.m.
Community Project Officer, Association canadienne française de l'Ontario - Région Témiskaming
That is the image that has to be presented. We have to show that we are winners. If we show that you have to constantly fight to go and buy a stamp in French, there is a problem. I should go to the post office and be greeted in French by the clerk. They should give me that, no? I am fully Canadian.
That is what I try to show my young people. I tell them to be proud of what they are. I ask them to stop asking for it, and demand it. Why am I not offered it? Why do I have to ask for it? I always have trouble getting people to understand that.
When you are proud of what you are, you attract people. You catch more flies with honey than with vinegar. So if we can show that we are a dynamic, winning culture, we won't need to worry about assimilation anymore.
