Official Languages Committee on Dec. 5th, 2006

[Paul Dumont]

I'd just like to add a comment about television. I subscribe to a satellite channel that I use to access French stations because I don't have access to those stations with cable. The problem is that sure, there are a lot of French stations, but do we have CBXFT, in Alberta, for local news? No, because the network doesn't offer that station in its package. I find that disgraceful.

[The Vice-Chair, NDP, Yvon Godin]

We're going to take note of that because these are things we're going to have to highlight. There's two seconds left, so we're going to go to the next speaker, and let the tension ease.

Mr. Simard.

[Raymond Simard, Liberal, Saint Boniface, MB]

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

I was going to talk about education; I'll come back to that.

In terms of communications, I think Mr. Godin's point is extremely important. In order for things to work in minority communities, we often proceed one sector at a time, as Mr. Collette was saying earlier. We take one sector and develop it fully. Where I'm from, it was economic development. That's working well now, so we've moved on to something else. I think we're on communications now. What Mr. Alary does is essential, and Radio-Canada, indeed, is missing from this whole communications strategy. If we are to survive as a community, the people from Radio-Canada should be here. It makes no sense for them not to be here. They are part of the overall strategy. That was my first comment.

Second, I think we may have an opportunity, with the arrival of a new Commissioner of Official Languages, to expand the commissioner's mandate. It's up to the government to make sure that the commission staff aren't just there to receive complaints, but are also there to promote official languages. The commission has offices all across the country and a staff of 100 people. Why shouldn't they promote the importance of official languages? That's a comment for the new commissioner.

I'd like to come back to education. You say that 15% of people who could, actually do go to French-language school. That surprised me, but on the other hand, I see there the possibility of recruiting the 85% of people who don't attend. How can we help you to recruit those people? I think the early childhood program is a good start. All the experts who've spoken to us have said that when you reach young people in early childhood, they stay in the system. That program has disappeared, so we're starting over. I don't think the $100 a month that the new government is giving parents is going to help you. It's important to get these initiatives right. When you introduce this kind of project, it's important to keep it up, that is what helps us. I don't know whether you have anything to say about that.

How can we help you to recruit the remaining 85% of people? There must be some funding in the Dion plan to help you do that.

[Josée Devaney]

La Fédération nationale des conseils scolaires undertook an initiative in this sense. All the minority school boards in Canada got together to do a study. They tried to find out why they were missing the boat and to define their needs. They decided that they had to launch a national awareness raising campaign.

The plan for early childhood is crucial for us. I do not have the data from the study here with me, but it would be useful to read it. If you could help us to implement the recommendations of this study, we would appreciate it.

[Raymond Simard, Liberal, Saint Boniface, MB]

The Action Plan for Official Languages must surely provide for funds for francophone communities. An amount of $360 million is provided for education.

[Josée Devaney]

We receive a bit of money through the official languages program. We use these funds for promotion and for recruiting and retaining our students. In fact, it is difficult for us to keep our students. In many cases, they only stay until grade six. Quite a few families are mixed marriages. Once the child has finished grade six, the anglophone spouse wants to enrol the child in what he thinks is a real school. He thinks that it is enough for his child to have learned to understand the language. Now he must get on with serious things.

[Raymond Simard, Liberal, Saint Boniface, MB]

In Newfoundland, when they set up a childcare centre, kindergarten attendance went up from 5% to 15% in one year, I believe. When people settle in an area, they choose the school with the best services. If we are always behind, we have no way of attracting people to begin with.

[Josée Devaney]

In some schools, we tried to set up childcare centres, but we did not have the necessary funds. Volunteer parents and other parents began the project, but it was too complicated, because among other things, the childcare centre was closed on professional development days and on certain holidays. This did not meet the parents' needs and moreover, it was not profitable.

We had relied on the Dryden plan for early childhood. Several community organizations had done a great deal of community development, especially to ensure that children be taken care of from birth. Now, we have to start everything all over again.

[Raymond Simard, Liberal, Saint Boniface, MB]

Thank you very much.

[The Vice-Chair, NDP, Yvon Godin]

Mrs. Boucher.

[Sylvie Boucher, Conservative, Beauport—Limoilou, QC]

I would like to come back to one point. Our government, through Ms. Finlay, will be creating 125,000 places in childcare centres. A sum of $100 will be given to parents. In my community, this sum helps parents with low incomes. In my riding, I have heard only favourable comments about this. Let me just say that these are two entirely different things.

Now, I want you to tell me if there is any way in which we could help you to ensure that once people have studied away from home, they come back to get jobs in their small towns. We must find a way to prevent the young francophone population from getting scattered about.

Would this problem be due to distance? Is the population too widely scattered? In your opinion, how can we keep the people who work here in French, go to school in French, work in the health sector in French, and so forth?

[Étienne Alary]

To keep those people in our community, we must offer the necessary programs and services.

[Sylvie Boucher, Conservative, Beauport—Limoilou, QC]

How will we go about keeping them in the community?

[Étienne Alary]

We must implement programs and structures that will allow these young people to study in French in their own region rather than go to an anglophone college. First, we must convince them to do their post-secondary studies in French. Several organizations are working together on this objective, Francophonie Jeunesse de l'Alberta among others. Local francophone organizations are helping these youths to choose to continue their studies in French. It is not always easy.

[Sylvie Boucher, Conservative, Beauport—Limoilou, QC]

During this trip, we went to the East, and I was really surprised to hear that in certain minority francophone communities, people were not aware of the action plan.

Is there a lack of communication? Are all the organizations that are aware of this plan able to benefit from it?

[Étienne Alary]

We should ask them that question, but it is, nevertheless, a comment that I often hear. The plan is often severely lacking in communication.

You spoke of organizations, but there are actually individuals working together with these organizations. In the education sector, $363 million was invested so that 50% of the young population become bilingual by 2011 or 2012. Are we going to reach this ambitious objective and, if so, how?

I mentioned that our legal experts had made some progress. However, they would certainly tell you, if they were here, that they need extra funds in order to continue.

[The Vice-Chair, NDP, Yvon Godin]

Mr. Dumont.

[Paul Dumont]

Personally, I can speak French today because I took part in the activities of organizations such as Francophonie jeunesse de l'Alberta and Fédération de la jeunesse canadienne française. We wonder why there is such high turnover in these organizations. The funding has remained the same in spite of inflation. We must find a way to keep the employees. There is no hiding it: there are big problems. It is crucial for us to support these organizations which are essential to the vitality of the French-speaking community.

[Sylvie Boucher, Conservative, Beauport—Limoilou, QC]

At least, we must have the feeling that we belong.

[Étienne Alary]

Let me come back to the early childhood issue and the $100 paid to families. In Quebec, people can not only access childcare at $7 a day, but they can also get $100 a month. Personally, I have two young children, one daughter goes to school, and I have to spend about $1,000 a month for childcare. The $100 is welcome, but I would rather have access to an adequate childcare program.

[Sylvie Boucher, Conservative, Beauport—Limoilou, QC]

How much does it cost you a month?

[Étienne Alary]

If one child is in full-time day care and the other has baby-sitting services, it costs about $1,000 a month.

[Josée Devaney]

I would like to make a comment.

[The Vice-Chair, NDP, Yvon Godin]

I will come back to childcare later on, but first I would like to make a point about the CBC issue. I thought that the question that was put to Mr. Collette a moment ago was not very appropriate.

For the record and as a point of information, let me say that with regard to the CBC, all the media were advised. A message was sent out to everyone giving the time and the place. These people could very well have come.

[Denis Collette]

I am shocked to find out that they did not attend.