Evidence of meeting #36 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 statistics.
A recording is available from Parliament.
10:35 a.m.
President, Impératif français
First, I'm going to insist, once again, in view of the linguistic asymmetry, on the need to develop a federal language policy based on the promotion of French, providing the resources to achieve results. That's absolutely necessary.
Second, I recommend that numbers henceforth be considered as a central indicator in measuring the results of federal policies. There won't be the least amount of vitality in the minority language communities if we don't proceed in this manner. Numbers must be central to measuring results.
The other recommendation is obviously that we ensure that the Canadian government stops putting the two languages on the same footing. There is an asymmetry. At the outset, the thinking must always be done taking the asymmetry between the two linguistic situations for granted. At all times, this asymmetry will have to be compensated for by additional resources, policies, directives and programs.
10:35 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Guy Lauzon
Thank you, Mr. Perreault.
If I understand correctly, Ms. Boucher and Mr. Lemieux will be sharing the five minutes reserved for the Conservatives?
10:35 a.m.
Conservative
Sylvie Boucher Conservative Beauport—Limoilou, QC
Yes.
Good morning, everyone. I'm pleased that you're here today and to see how interesting the discussion is, although it's also a little confused. Everyone was a little lost at one point or another.
I'd like to go back to your table, Mr. Perreault, because I have figures that contradict yours.
In Quebec, as regards the Anglophone population, you advanced the figure of 590,000 Anglophones, whereas my sources tell me there are 918,000.
10:35 a.m.
Conservative
Sylvie Boucher Conservative Beauport—Limoilou, QC
In Quebec, there are 918,955 Anglophones in the official language minority.
10:35 a.m.
Conservative
Sylvie Boucher Conservative Beauport—Limoilou, QC
Exactly. Those are the figures I have in hand here.
10:35 a.m.
Conservative
10:35 a.m.
Conservative
Sylvie Boucher Conservative Beauport—Limoilou, QC
My friend the analyst provided them to me.
In Ontario, the linguistic minority, that is to say the French-language minority, comprises 527,710 Francophones. There are a number of things—
10:35 a.m.
Conservative
Sylvie Boucher Conservative Beauport—Limoilou, QC
Yes. Wait. My glasses are fine; that's what I have here.
10:35 a.m.
Conservative
Sylvie Boucher Conservative Beauport—Limoilou, QC
This is entitled: “Minority population by province or territory [...]”.
10:35 a.m.
President, Impératif français
Yes. And by mother tongue, language knowledge—
10:40 a.m.
Conservative
10:40 a.m.
Jean-Rodrigue Paré Committee Researcher
It's very simple. In offering its services, the federal government relies on the first official language spoken criterion—
February 1st, 2007 / 10:40 a.m.
Committee Researcher
No, it's not knowledge, it's the first official language spoken. That may be the mother tongue, but not necessarily. That means, for example, that, in Quebec, given the large percentage of immigrants—
10:40 a.m.
Conservative
10:40 a.m.
Committee Researcher
... for whom English is the first language spoken, as a result of which the statistics on mother tongue don't accurately reflect the situation of Anglophones in Quebec. So the federal government relies on the first official language spoken criterion.
