Evidence of meeting #16 for Official Languages in the 40th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was languages.
A recording is available from Parliament.
9:55 a.m.
Bloc
Pascal-Pierre Paillé Bloc Louis-Hébert, QC
My next question is on a slightly different topic. Concerning signage, we got the impression, when the Commissioner of Official Languages appeared before us last week, that there are problems.
Do you have any comments on this topic?
9:55 a.m.
Chair, Official Languages Advisory Committee, Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC)
The commitment made by the government, through VANOC, concerning signage at Olympic venues, is that, during the Games, signs will be bilingual. We made that commitment and we will honour it. There are still a few months to go before the Games, so you should give your verdict once the Games open. There are people VANOC who are working to ensure that everything is in place so that we can honour the commitment we made.
9:55 a.m.
Bloc
Pascal-Pierre Paillé Bloc Louis-Hébert, QC
Mr. Matte, you said earlier that we will not know the results before the end of the Olympic Games. If ever there was a major problem, who should be held responsible, in your opinion?
9:55 a.m.
Executive Director, Canadian Foundation for Cross-Cultural Dialogue
Before or after?
9:55 a.m.
Executive Director, Canadian Foundation for Cross-Cultural Dialogue
I am an eternal optimist and I hope that we will succeed. If blame needs to be laid afterward, I think that we will all have a collective responsibility for not adequately respecting the reality of linguistic duality. I will be just as responsible as our VANOC colleagues, the federal government and the Canadian public as a whole, which won't have given us enough support for us to succeed.
I don't think that blame can be attached to one particular individual or organization. However, if we need to point fingers, then people will be responsible to varying degrees, because if the opening and closing ceremonies are kept secret until the last minute and ultimately we realize there are problems, I might be less to blame than VANOC and perhaps also than the people who oversee VANOC at that level.
I think that VANOC clearly learned its lesson following an incident that occurred a year before the Games. It had a great impact on the in-house group. It wasn't a pleasant experience; they heard about it constantly, as did you, the media and the Canadian public at large. But I think they learned their lesson and I hope they will remember it.
9:55 a.m.
Bloc
Pascal-Pierre Paillé Bloc Louis-Hébert, QC
Thank you.
I have about a minute left. I will now go on to Ms. Bolduc.
You said that a portion of your funding comes from sponsors. Has the current economic crisis had an impact, or were the contracts signed before the downturn? Had commitments already been made by private sponsors?
9:55 a.m.
Chair, Official Languages Advisory Committee, Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC)
At the last meeting of the board of directors, the VANOC people pointed out that over 98% of the sponsorship agreements and collaborative protocols with the partners had been signed. That is fortunate, because the economic crisis is affecting VANOC as well.
For now, our budget is still balanced, and the money is coming in, more in fact than we had expected. So we have every reason to be confident in this regard.
9:55 a.m.
Conservative
9:55 a.m.
Conservative
Royal Galipeau Conservative Ottawa—Orléans, ON
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
First, I would like to welcome you. We ordered this beautiful Vancouver weather for you, especially for Mr. Matte, who has come from very far away. Mr. Matte lives in Orléans.
We know that VANOC consults with various francophone groups on the French aspect of the Games. We know, in fact, that the Canadian Foundation for Cross-Cultural Dialogue, which is here this morning, works closely with VANOC.
How are these groups, which defend the rights of francophones in British Columbia, involved in the organization of the Games?
10 a.m.
Executive Director, Canadian Foundation for Cross-Cultural Dialogue
Like the FFCB, we are mandated to ensure that the Olympic Games are delivered in both official languages. Our resources are as follows.
First, we have a representative who sits on the advisory committee set up by Mr. Gauthier.
Second, we have regular meetings, about every two and a half months, with various directors of the Olympic Games, that is, the Cultural Olympiad, the Torch Relay and so on. We meet with these people officially. They meet with us to explain the progress made on their files and especially to explain to us how the francophone and Acadian communities will participate.
Third, we are also in contact with the staff at Official Languages, VANOC, of which Ms. Bolduc is the director. Our staff and hers are in almost daily contact on different topics and events that occur. When a problem crops up somewhere, we try to solve it through discussions.
Lastly, we have regular meetings with Mr. Gauthier himself, as person in charge and trustee. He was appointed by the board of directors to oversee everything connected with official languages. We therefore have frequent meetings and phone calls with him to solve problems, when they arise, or to commend people when things go well.
10 a.m.
Conservative
Royal Galipeau Conservative Ottawa—Orléans, ON
Is the Fédération des francophones de la Colombie-Britannique involved?
10 a.m.
Executive Director, Canadian Foundation for Cross-Cultural Dialogue
It's the same level of involvement. We are two partners with the same responsibilities and we discharge them in the same way.
10 a.m.
Conservative
Royal Galipeau Conservative Ottawa—Orléans, ON
So the Fédération des francophones de la Colombie-Britannique will have a special role to play once the Games begin.
10 a.m.
Executive Director, Canadian Foundation for Cross-Cultural Dialogue
No, I can't say that we will play a special role once the Games have begun. We play a special role before the beginning of the Games. Once they have begun, in my opinion, it will be a bit too late to do anything. Everything must be planned and organized in advance. Once the wheels start rolling, on the first day, there will be very little that you, I, committees or groups can do. That's why we must ensure that we are involved in all of VANOC's planning, to ensure that linguistic duality is respected.
10 a.m.
Conservative
Royal Galipeau Conservative Ottawa—Orléans, ON
We have heard this morning that many questions deal with concerns regarding the opening and closing ceremonies. It makes me think of the adage, once bitten, twice shy.
Can you explain what went wrong to cause such concerns?
10 a.m.
Executive Director, Canadian Foundation for Cross-Cultural Dialogue
Thank you, Mr. Gauthier.
10 a.m.
Voices
Oh, oh!
10 a.m.
Chair, Official Languages Advisory Committee, Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC)
I can help you.
10 a.m.
Conservative
10 a.m.
Chair, Official Languages Advisory Committee, Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC)
I am convinced that we both have different versions. So I will let him say what he has to say. Earlier, I apologized, saying that we were disappointed by the results of the show that was put on one year before the start of the Games. Some people may not have done the right thing, but it was not because of a lack of will.
10 a.m.
Conservative
Royal Galipeau Conservative Ottawa—Orléans, ON
Is the Fédération des francophones de la Colombie-Britannique involved, at least by acting as the conscience of the Games?
10 a.m.
Chair, Official Languages Advisory Committee, Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC)
Yes. That's why we have clearly tightened the standards for preparing these important shows. That's why we now have several watchdogs that ensure that our expectations are being met. These same watchdogs report to us regularly and confirm that the work is being done right. So given this context, I think we are entitled to be confident. Work is being done, and above all, the watchdogs are keeping an eye on things.
10 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Steven Blaney
Thank you very much, Mr. Galipeau.
Would you have liked 30 seconds?