Evidence of meeting #34 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 cuts.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Bloc
Liberal
Jean-Claude D'Amours Liberal Madawaska—Restigouche, NB
Most official language communities are rural. However, I would not want to exclude the Toronto region, where there are francophones, and other major centres where there are also francophones.
On the other hand, the rural issue was important to me because there are small publications in rural areas that do not necessarily have a large circulation. It is therefore very difficult for them to serve their communities. Consequently, my motion was intended to provide assistance for the delivery of publications to people's homes.
NDP
Yvon Godin NDP Acadie—Bathurst, NB
That could sometimes cause confusion. Indeed, in the first motion it is said that “Publications Assistance Program for official language communities”. And now it says: “...for publications serving rural communities and official language communities.”
I do not think, for example, that Moncton is rural.
Liberal
Jean-Claude D'Amours Liberal Madawaska—Restigouche, NB
Yes, because the population is below 250,000.
Please, Mr. Chairman, I was basing what I said on an assumption. For example, one could try to divide it up and talk about a certain number of publications, but it would not be accurate.
I brought in the question of rurality to determine whether a city or a town in Canada was urban or rural. Unless I am mistaken, the threshold is around a population of 250,000.
Committee Researcher
The technical term is, "official language minority communities." So the francophones in Moncton are included.
Committee Researcher
The word “rural” is something else again. It is a category that is used or that can be used by Statistics Canada to define—
NDP
Yvon Godin NDP Acadie—Bathurst, NB
All right.
On the one hand we say: “for publications serving rural communities”. And on the other hand if we say “and official language communities”, it would include Toronto as well.
Committee Researcher
Yes, it applies to official language communities in Toronto.
NDP
Yvon Godin NDP Acadie—Bathurst, NB
Yes, there are official language communities in Toronto. They are a minority.
Liberal
Jean-Claude D'Amours Liberal Madawaska—Restigouche, NB
If this strikes you as too complicated and confusing, my objective is for official language minority communities to be included.
Liberal
Jean-Claude D'Amours Liberal Madawaska—Restigouche, NB
It's clear in my mind, but I can understand that—
NDP
Paule Brunelle Bloc Trois-Rivières, QC
We take the first and add the words “living in a minority community”.
