Official Languages Committee on March 31st, 2009

[Marie-Geneviève Mounier]

Well—

[Yvon Godin, NDP, Acadie—Bathurst, NB]

I want to know where the 96% quoted by the deputy minister comes from?

[Marie-Geneviève Mounier]

While the government does not have a specific coercive role to play, the department has been following the situation since the outset. Broadcasting is crucial to ensuring that all Canadians have access to the games, as these games belong to all Canadians. We want fair coverage for francophones and anglophones. We have been in contact with the consortium since the very beginning to ensure that they take coverage for francophones and anglophones to heart.

[Yvon Godin, NDP, Acadie—Bathurst, NB]

Where did the 96% come from?

[The Chair, Conservative, Steven Blaney]

Thank you.

[Marie-Geneviève Mounier]

The committee of deputy ministers responsible for the Olympic Games asked the consortium to make a presentation on the scope of their coverage. They said coverage is at 96%.

[The Chair, Conservative, Steven Blaney]

Thank you for your answers.

Thank you Mr. Godin.

I will now give the floor to Ms. Shelly Glover.

[Shelly Glover, Conservative, Saint Boniface, MB]

Good morning and welcome.

I want to say that as a Canadian I was thrilled to see in your allocution what you said about this historical moment. I'm just going to read it again for members, because I got goosebumps when you said it. I'm going to say it in English: “This is the very first time in the history of the Olympic Games that a country has included provisions in this type of agreement that deal with respect for official languages. I believe that Canada can be proud of this step forward.”

Thank you for bringing that to our attention. I hadn't realized just how involved Canada was in making this historic moment a reality.

I'm going to ask you a question in French, if I may. When did the Canadian government begin considering the official language obligations for organizing the games and what steps have been taken?

[Marie-Geneviève Mounier]

Right from the outset and even before Canada was awarded the games, official languages obligations were a concern. The issue of official languages was the subject of discussions the entire time the bid was being prepared. Appendix A, which I referred to, is now part of the multiparty agreement and outlines the obligations for the organizing committee. It was developed even before Canada was awarded the games. That was part of the file for the bid.

From the outset, when the federal secretariat was created, the need for the organizing committee to fulfil its obligations on official languages was on the table. The secretariat took on an advisory and oversight role for the Olympic Winter Games. Bear in mind as well that the secretariat can count on the support of the department, since official languages are an inextricable link. Several groups focus specifically on official languages in Canada. Therefore, we have ongoing and very natural support from the department.

[Shelly Glover, Conservative, Saint Boniface, MB]

I have a question for Mr. Robinson.

It was in 2001 that this began. Can you elaborate on when that happened and when we were guaranteed that we were going to have the games? What happened between the time you put this in place—really a visionary movement—to when we got confirmation that we were going to have the games?

[David Robinson, Director General, 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games Federal Secreteriat, Department of Canadian Heritage]

Hosting the games is a big responsibility. It's too big for one federal department. It's too big for one level of government. You have to work together in a collaborative way with all your partners to achieve your objectives around the games.

The government recognized this and wanted to work early with the games organizers' bid committee to make sure they had the full support of the Government of Canada, and as Madam Mounier said, questions of official languages were top of mind when we were doing our preparations for the games. That is one of the reasons why, working with all of our partners, we negotiated the multi-party agreement--to make sure that it was absolutely clear what Canada's expectations were around the delivery of official languages at the games. As Madam Mounier said, the agreement was signed in 2002, in advance of the games award. The games award occurred in July 2003, and all the partners--the future games organizing committee and all of our government partners--are very much aware of the requirements that Canada has made in exchange for our significant contribution to the games.

[Shelly Glover, Conservative, Saint Boniface, MB]

That's fantastic.

I would like to talk about the torch relay, because I live in a minority community. How will you ensure that minority communities are able to participate in the torch relay?

[Marie-Geneviève Mounier]

Thank you very much.

Earlier, we mentioned the agreement signed by the Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games with the Canadian Foundation for Cross-cultural Dialogue and the Fédération des francophones de la Colombie-Britannique. These two organizations have contributed to compiling the list of francophone communities selected for the torch relay. I believe that VANOC selected 39 francophone minority communities for the torch relay. Of course, the organizing committee encourages community groups to appoint one or more francophones on the committees in their region. Moreover, VANOC sent a message to all official languages minority communities to invite them to join the olympic relay organization, which will certainly be magnificent and emotional for everyone. The Government of Canada, through our department, is coordinating a program to ensure that the promotion of linguistic duality will be taken into consideration during all ceremonies surrounding the torch relay.

[The Chair, Conservative, Steven Blaney]

Thank you very much, Ms. Glover.

I submitted my own name on the Internet to participate in the torch relay when it goes through my hometown, Lévis.

Tell me, are the regional committees looking after the torch relay? You talked about committees, but who has been tasked with this responsibility?

[Marie-Geneviève Mounier]

I believe that committees will be organized in each of the communities the torch will go through.

[The Chair, Conservative, Steven Blaney]

Okay. I will check with you after the meeting.

[Marie-Geneviève Mounier]

There are 190 communities involved.

[The Chair, Conservative, Steven Blaney]

Do you want to participate in the torch relay in Moncton, Mr. Godin?

[Yvon Godin, NDP, Acadie—Bathurst, NB]

Mr. Chairman, if you want to ask questions, perhaps you should leave the chair and be replaced by the vice-chair.

[The Chair, Conservative, Steven Blaney]

Yes, and I will pass the torch from one chair to the other.

We will move on to Ms. Zarac.

[Yvon Godin, NDP, Acadie—Bathurst, NB]

However, I always enjoy your questions.

[Lise Zarac, Liberal, LaSalle—Émard, QC]

Good morning.

For me, the Olympic Games are a major event that brings together athletes who excel in their sports and who are role models for young Canadians. This is even more true at a time when we are facing problems with street gangs. Vancouver is an example, but the problem exists throughout Canada. Athletes are role models for our young people, but they should be for all Canadians, of all languages. I hope they will all have an opportunity to see the games and participate.

The Commissioner of Official Languages made 18 recommendations last December. There being so many may be dangerous. I have noted some of the ones that are very important, to my mind. The commissioner called for a regular report as well as a summary of outstanding issues to be subsequently sent to the VANOC Executive Committee and to the board's Human Resources Committee.

I would like to know what has been noted and if there has been any follow-up.

[Marie-Geneviève Mounier]

Thank you.

VANOC already provides us with quarterly reports on its accomplishments in terms of official languages. In fact, it has just submitted its most recent report, from January to March 2009. Yes, we are following up on the recommendation of the Commissioner of Official Languages. The federal secretariat is also preparing a report for him on progress accomplished.

[Lise Zarac, Liberal, LaSalle—Émard, QC]

What problem areas are covered in the report?

[Marie-Geneviève Mounier]

We have just received it. We are currently analyzing it. We will note all of the progress in the report that we will subsequently write.