Official Languages Committee on March 31st, 2009

[The Chair, Conservative, Steven Blaney]

Thank you very much, Ms. Guay.

We will now move to Ms. Glover.

[Shelly Glover, Conservative, Saint Boniface, MB]

Thank you for being here, Ms. Bossé. I congratulate you on your appointment.

I would like to point out that I will be splitting my time with Mr. Petit.

My colleague Mr. D'Amours brought up the question of volunteers and I would like to get back to that. I fully agree that the volunteers are responsible for offering services in French and in English. However, I do not agree with Mr. D'Amours when he says that francophones born in Canada all have the same ability to speak French and to understand it. Some of them do not have as good an understanding of French if they did not continue their studies in French or for other reasons. I know a number of them who have a difficult time understanding other francophones in Canada.

I would like to know whether you agree with me when I say that it really is an advantage to have volunteers from various parts of the country who can speak French to varying degrees. French spoken in Manitoba is not necessarily the same as that spoken in Quebec or New Brunswick. Do you not think that would be an advantage to have volunteers with varying linguistic abilities given the different degrees to which people learn and understand French?

[Suzanne Bossé]

Obviously, there are regional differences in Canada, in Quebec and even in France. However, we always come back to the goal, in other words, the end result. We have to ensure that visitors will be served by a person who has the capacity to provide the service in French.

Despite the regional differences in language, we understand each other rather well here. I am from New Brunswick where four different types of French are spoken. So you can imagine how many there could be across Canada.

What is important is for the person to have the capacity to offer services in French.

[Shelly Glover, Conservative, Saint Boniface, MB]

I agree with you completely.

You also said that you would like 100% of francophones to have access to the Olympic Games on TV or on the radio. I would also like all Canadians, anglophones and francophones, to have access to the Games. But is that not unrealistic?

Some people will not have access to it because they do not receive the necessary signals. As Mr. Petit mentioned, some anglophones do not have access to the Games because they do not have the technology, is that not true?

[Suzanne Bossé]

Yes, indeed, but the Official Languages Act must be upheld.

[Shelly Glover, Conservative, Saint Boniface, MB]

I agree. I would like to offer that to everyone, but some people, because of a lack of technology, do not have the capacity to receive Games broadcasts in French and in English.

[The Chair, Conservative, Steven Blaney]

I am sorry, Ms. Glover.

People are raising their voices, and I cannot concentrate. I am sure Ms. Glover and the witnesses are also having some difficulty in concentrating. I would invite committee members to keep their thoughts to themselves.

Ms. Glover, you said you wanted to split your time. I would point out that you have 1 minute and 30 seconds left.

[Shelly Glover, Conservative, Saint Boniface, MB]

I simply wanted to raise that point. Technology is not accessible to everyone. I do not believe it is realistic to expect 100%.

I will offer the floor to Mr. Petit now for the remainder of my time.

[Daniel Petit, Conservative, Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles, QC]

My question is for Ms. Bossé, from the Fédération des communautés francophones et acadienne du Canada.

You referred to signage earlier on. We know that the Vancouver Airport will be the reception area for VANOC at the Olympic Games. It is on federal land.

In my province, under Bill 101, French takes precedence and English comes in second. Has VANOC provided something, or are both languages treated equally? Earlier, your colleague said there was nothing in place whereas you said "there may be". Will announcements be made equally in French and English, or mainly in English and half in French? In Quebec, under Bill 101, signage would be mainly in French, but British Columbia does not have a Bill 101.

[Suzanne Bossé]

You said I used the words "there may be", but I simply do not know what you are referring to.

[Daniel Petit, Conservative, Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles, QC]

You referred earlier on to the Olympic Oval and to signage which, for the time being, is only in English. In the representations you made on our behalf to VANOC, have you asked for French and English to be given equal standing? In Quebec, it would French first and English second. What did you recommend?

[The Chair, Conservative, Steven Blaney]

Thank you, Mr. Petit.

I do not know whether you want to answer the question or whether you are in a position to do so. Either way, representatives from VANOC are coming to testify before our committee. Perhaps they could answer that question.

[Daniel Petit, Conservative, Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles, QC]

Mr. Chair, could she provide me with a written answer?

[Suzanne Bossé]

Alright. We will take care of that.

[The Chair, Conservative, Steven Blaney]

Thank you. We will now move to Mr. Godin.

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

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Ms. Glover said earlier on that it was unimaginable or impossible—I do not know exactly what words she used—for the Games to be broadcast in both official languages throughout the country. But do Radio-Canada and CBC not broadcast across the country?

[Suzanne Bossé]

Yes.

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

They should do. Radio-Canada has an antenna in the North. That is what I had understood. We will ask the people from Radio-Canada.

Apparently, 95% of people will be able to receive the signal. Are you satisfied with this figure? Do you think it is accurate?

[Serge Quinty]

I heard 96%.

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

From whom?

[Serge Quinty]

If I am not mistaken, it was in the CRTC report which was issued yesterday. This report follows up on the CRTC's review of services for minorities.

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

Is that exactly what CTV said or is it a percentage the CRTC is in a position to guarantee?

[Serge Quinty]

What I am telling you is in the CRTC report. It remains to be seen whether the CRTC was simply referring to comments made by a witness. Either way, the situation has evolved a great deal in four years, clearly. We intend to continue to apply pressure so that we can get as close to 100% as possible. We are pleased to see that the CRTC has recommended to the consortium that it continue to discuss this matter with Radio-Canada/CBC.

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

That depends on the budget cuts. We will see how things evolve.

We are referring to Radio-Canada and CBC. I know you represent francophones and Acadians throughout the country, but Mr. Petit said earlier that anglophones from the Côte-Nord did not receive the signal. I think the CBC broadcasts on the Côte-Nord. That could be broadened.

In the Commissioner's recommendations, he refers to translation and interpretation expertise at a reasonable cost. Do you agree that the government has a part to play in this? It already has translation expertise, for one, and is currently active with VANOC in this area.

[Suzanne Bossé]

Certainly. The government has a responsibility and an obligation and we would like that to be expressed through another announcement on the Roadmap for Canada's Linguistic Duality. We hope these skills will continue to develop.