Evidence of meeting #25 for Official Languages in the 39th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was students.
NDP
The Vice-Chair NDP Yvon Godin
Was that funding already in place? If so, did it stay at the same level?
Executive Director, Centre francophone de Toronto
The Head Starts Strategy, which is a provincial initiative, had to be largely suspended for subsequent years. Most of the new subsidized day care spaces under the universal program have had to be suspended.
NDP
The Vice-Chair NDP Yvon Godin
You said that some health institutions did not even have any brochures or documentation in French. Would you recommend that the federal government fund the translation of this type of documentation as part of its action plan?
Executive Director, Centre francophone de Toronto
We need to avoid putting the spotlight on this whole issue of the translation of documentation. It is important to translate brochures and distribute the information, but the heart of the problem is the lack of qualified service providers that can offer as broad a range of services as possible.
NDP
The Vice-Chair NDP Yvon Godin
But they should at least have their documents translated into French. I would like to hear from Ms. Rauzon-Wright about your needs in this area.
President, Réseau franco-santé du Sud de l'Ontario
We know that the federal government will allocate funds for health promotion. The funding will be sent to a group that will distribute it or to a public health agency. The problem is that the funding does not come with any obligation to provide services in both official languages.
When major public health programs are established, we have to wait for three years for the services to be translated into French. Then it is too late to serve francophones. Moreover, translating these services into French is not enough to meet the needs of the various francophone communities, which are dealing with problems that the anglophone communities are not facing. A small francophone school in a village or a small community may not be large enough to obtain the services.
I recommend that the federal government tie its funding to the obligation to serve francophones in French.
Liberal
Jean-Claude D'Amours Liberal Madawaska—Restigouche, NB
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Before asking my questions, I want to come back to what my Conservative colleague said about the Court Challenges Program.
I completely agree that we are here to listen to you. Were you listened to and consulted before the Court Challenges Program was cut? That would have given you an opportunity to make your views known and explain how important it was to keep that program.
You represent more than 1,000 or 2,000 people: you represent the majority of francophones in Ontario. Were you consulted? Were you listened to? Answer yes or no so that I can move to another issue.
President, Réseau franco-santé du Sud de l'Ontario
No, we were not consulted.
President, Centre francophone de Toronto
No, we were not consulted. However, I would like to point out that the CCP is an important program and should be reinstated, as my colleague Jean-Gilles said earlier.
The most important aspect of French-language service is the services provided by people. It is very important to have brochures in French and programs such as the Court Challenges Program, but what francophones really need is to have more high-quality services available in Toronto.
Liberal
Jean-Claude D'Amours Liberal Madawaska—Restigouche, NB
Mr. Laliberté, to have more services when there is no guarantee that you will be able to advocate to obtain those services?
Liberal
Jean-Claude D'Amours Liberal Madawaska—Restigouche, NB
If I may, I would like to ask Ms. Jomphe-LeClaire a question.
Ms. Jomphe-LeClaire, you represent seniors. For francophones and francophone seniors, literacy is an on-going challenge. It is not an issue that is unique to seniors, but it still concerns them. Moreover, seniors are the country's main source of volunteers. Francophones are no exception to that rule, since they give even more of their time to their communities and their organizations.
Are you concerned about the cuts to literacy programs totalling $18 million? I know that they are trying to justify that decision by saying that they are investing $80 million. I have been hearing them say that for the past week.
Are you concerned that your members cannot easily understand... Let us take the example of prescription drugs. If a francophone in your community goes to the hospital and a doctor prescribes medication, how can he take care of himself if he has difficulty reading the instructions?
Fédération des aînés et des retraités francophones de l'Ontario
A person in that situation would definitely not be able to take care of himself properly. That is why francophone seniors are in poorer health than their anglophone counterparts. Studies have shown that to be the case. Many seniors cannot read or read with great difficulty. Maybe they can read a little bit in French, but not in English. So those cuts will certainly affect the health and lives of seniors.
Liberal
Fédération des aînés et des retraités francophones de l'Ontario
Liberal
Fédération des aînés et des retraités francophones de l'Ontario
That is right.
Liberal
Jean-Claude D'Amours Liberal Madawaska—Restigouche, NB
These people are being left in much distress; the risk is already there.
Fédération des aînés et des retraités francophones de l'Ontario
Yes, definitely.
Liberal
Jean-Claude D'Amours Liberal Madawaska—Restigouche, NB
Mr. Chairman, do I still have some time left?
Liberal
Jean-Claude D'Amours Liberal Madawaska—Restigouche, NB
Let us talk about the Summer Career Placement Program and the official languages implications.
In your various organizations and networks, do you need to use the Summer Career Placement Program? We want our young people to stay in the regions and speak their mother tongue. That federal government program enabled young people to stay in their regions and gave them the tools they need to move ahead.
Do you not feel that it is dangerous, for our francophone communities outside Quebec, to cut 50% of the funding for such a program? I see this as a major problem for francophone communities in our area. It is already difficult to keep young people in our regions, so it will certainly not be any easier in the future.
I would like to know whether this kind of program provides tools and assistance to young people.
Executive Director, Centre francophone de Toronto
I speak about two aspects. The first is the availability of francophone work places for young people who want to start their careers or work in a French-speaking environment. In minority communities, it is very difficult to find such work places for young people. There are organizations that can do that. The Centre francophone de Toronto is well placed because there are a number of contact points with these young people. Those are opportunities that we can offer.
The other aspect is counselling for career development and reintegration into the labour market. Those services are funded by Service Canada and should be offered in French, since those who need the services sometimes have problems relating to their knowledge of English.