Official Languages Committee on May 6th, 2010

[The Chair, Conservative, Steven Blaney]

Good morning, everyone.

Pursuant to Standing Order 108, we are continuing our study on immigration as a development tool in official language minority communities. This morning, it is our pleasure to have the representatives of two departments at the 15th meeting of the Standing Committee on Official Languages.

This morning we have the pleasure of having a witness from the Department of Citizenship and Immigration, Mr. Yves Saint-Germain, director of information, language and community program policy. Welcome, Mr. Saint-Germain.

We also have with us Mr. Les Linklater, assistant deputy minister of strategic and program policy. Welcome to our committee, Mr. Linklater.

We also have representatives from the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade. Ms. Chris Greenshields is the director of the international education and youth division; as well as Mr. Jean-Philippe Tachdjian, deputy director and trade commissioner, Edu-Canada, international education promotion.

Without any delay, I would invite the members from the Department of Citizenship and Immigration to begin with their statements.

[Les Linklater, Assistant Deputy Minister, Strategic and Program Policy, Department of Citizenship and Immigration]

Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for this invitation to speak with you today.

My name is Les Linklater and I am the Assistant Deputy Minister for Strategic and Program Policy at Citizenship and Immigration Canada and now the department's Champion for Official Languages. I am accompanied by Yves Saint-Germain, CIC's Director of Information, Language and Community Program Policy, and my colleagues from Foreign Affairs.

I have some short opening remarks and we would then be happy to take your questions. As you know, Mr. Chairman, the Government of Canada supports measures to encourage the vitality of official language communities in Canada. This support informs all of our programs and policy.

Several times in the past year, our minister, the Honourable Jason Kenney, has noted the government's tripling of settlement funding—which includes language training—and his belief in the need to ensure that newcomers to Canada demonstrate ability in one of our official languages.

As part of the Government of Canada's 2008 Roadmap for Canada's Linguistic Duality, our department pledged to coordinate an overall investment of $30 million until 2013 to support francophone minority communities. Accordingly, CIC has reserved $10 million in settlement funding to continue and enhance activities already in place under the Strategic Plan to Foster Immigration to Francophone Minority Communities.

This includes implementing community networks for immigration and improving the delivery of settlement services to French-speaking immigrants and refugees. In addition, the Government of Canada, through the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA), allocated an additional $10 million to assist the Government of New Brunswick in preserving that province's linguistic profile in recruiting francophone immigrants.

As immigration is a major factor in how we build this country, CIC is committed to supporting francophone minority communities through immigration.

Our approach is to ensure that francophone immigrants obtain the services they need to integrate in French into Canadian society and the labour market. These services can include information and orientation, needs assessment, language training, employment support, and other community programs.

I would like to address these goals of the department and the action we are taking to support francophone communities outside Quebec.

As you know, Mr. Chair, the work we do in this area requires working with many partners. That is why in 2002 the department created the CIC francophone minority communities steering committee. This committee brings together representatives from federal departments and agencies, provinces and territories, and representatives of official language minority communities to foster immigration to francophone minority communities and to help these communities benefit from immigration. The committee's next meeting is on May 10; this will be a chance to take stock of the progress accomplished and to reflect on the priorities for the year.

The relationship between CIC and the francophone community goes beyond the formal structure. We regularly meet with Marc Arnal, the community representative with whom I co-chair the steering committee. CIC employees also collaborate with other community representatives on a regular basis, including the comité de mise en oeuvre, which is also co-chaired by CIC and community representatives.

Mr. Chair, as you may know, in September 2006 the committee launched the strategic plan to foster immigration to francophone minority communities. The key goal of this plan was to increase the number of French-speaking immigrants settling outside Quebec to 4.4% by 2023 to match the percentage of Canadians outside Quebec whose mother tongue is French, based on the 2001 census. An intermediate target of 1.8% by 2013 has been identified.

This timeline reflects the challenges in recruiting French-speaking immigrants to settle outside Quebec. Given these challenges, part of my role at CIC as champion of official languages is to identify specific initiatives to create tangible results for French-speaking immigrants and the francophone minority communities where they settle. These initiatives include promotion and recruitment, settlement, retention, and long-term integration.

I would like to take a moment to outline some of these initiatives in more detail.

CIC has intensified promotional programs to encourage potential immigrants and students to come to francophone minority communities in Canada and to inform them of the services that are available. An example of this of which we are quite proud is Destination Canada, our major promotional event, which is held every year. Last year it was held in November with our missions in Paris and Brussels and attracted over 2,220 people.

It also included the participation of six other CIC missions, employers, representatives of provinces and territories, and our community partners. Also taking part were the Réseau de développement économique et d'employabilité—RDÉE—Canada, regional RDÉEs, and la Fédération des communautés francophones et acadienne—la FCFA.

I should note, Mr. Chairman, in discussing immigration levels with provinces and territories, the department also promotes the flexibility provided by the different immigration classes, including the Provincial Nominees Program, in order to maximize the opportunities to foster francophone immigration to minority communities.

Secondly, CIC is undertaking several projects to address French-speaking newcomers' integration into Canadian society and our economy. Here are a few examples. First, there's the creation and strengthening of community networks from coast to coast; second, a pilot project with RDEE Canada in three cities—Vancouver, Calgary and Toronto—to promote and recruit francophone immigrants as well as create a job bank that matches them with employers in francophone minority communities in those cities; third, an enhanced language training program to help improve work place and professional language skills of immigrants in London, Ottawa and Windsor; fourth, a professional mentoring program from francophone newcomers in Toronto; and, fifth, awareness sessions for employers in Regina and Saskatoon to promote francophone newcomers in those centres.

In addition, there will be job fairs in Toronto, Ottawa and Sudbury in the near future. There will also be work placement programs for French-speaking newcomers in Saskatchewan and Nova Scotia. Lastly, there was the launch of a Best Practices Manual on Francophone Immigration in Canada at the most recent Metropolis conference in Montreal.

The department is also working to build the capacity of French-speaking communities to welcome and retain newcomers. An example of this was Minister Kenney's announcement last September of support for l'Accueil francophone, from Winnipeg's St. Boniface area, who appeared before you on Tuesday.

CIC has also modified its data collection system to better reflect the number of francophone immigrants coming to Canada, according to the definition of a French-speaking immigrant put forward by the strategic plan. As such, all application forms for temporary and permanent residence have now been modified to ask applicants which of Canada's official languages they use most frequently. This information will be captured systematically and electronically as our new global case management system is implemented over the coming year.

Finally, we are stressing the importance of Canada's linguistic duality in our flagship publications. On the citizenship and multiculturalism fronts, the Discover Canada guide recognizes the contribution of both French and English to the definition of Canada's day-to-day reality. We are also doing this in the Welcome to Canada publication and the “Going to Canada” web portal. These also highlight the government's responsibility to provide services in both official languages.

Mr. Chairman, I should note that our department also supports activities targeted to English-speaking minority communities in Quebec. This includes citizenship ceremonies organized in English in Quebec, research projects and other multicultural initiatives to build bridges between all communities in the province. The programs respect the Canada-Quebec Accord, under which Quebec has sole responsibility for selection of immigrants destined to Quebec as well as for reception and integration of permanent residents in Quebec.

In other jurisdictions, we are continuing to ensure that our FPT agreements reflect our commitment to strengthen the vitality of official language minority communities.

In closing, Mr. Chairman, I wish to note that CIC remains committed to complying with the Official Languages Act in our programs, in order to recognize Canada's linguistic duality as one of the foundations of our society. While we are accomplishing many of its objectives in supporting francophone minority communities across Canada, we must admit the challenge francophone newcomers can face to settle in these communities and the challenge government can face in supporting these newcomers.

CIC will continue to work to develop an overall picture of everything being done to support Francophone immigration and to identify the gaps, needs and the limitations to achieving them. But the Government of Canada cannot do this alone. We must continue to work with community organizations, employers and of course, other governments, to support and promote francophone communities across Canada.

Thank you again for your invitation to speak with you today. I’ll now hand over to my colleagues from Foreign Affairs before answering your questions.

[The Chair, Conservative, Steven Blaney]

Thank you very much, Mr. Linklater.

I'll now invite the people from Foreign Affairs to make their opening remarks.

[Chris Greenshields, Director, International Education and Youth Division, Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade]

Mr. Chairman, thank you for this opportunity to speak to the committee. My name is Chris Greenshields. I am the director for international education and youth at the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade.

I am joined by my colleague, Jean-Philippe Tachdjian, who is the deputy director for education marketing, leading our Edu-Canada unit.

I will make a brief overview of our work in regard to education marketing and official language communities, and then Mr. Tachdjian and I would be pleased to respond to your questions and comments.

Let me also add that we work very closely with CIC in all our work, and we are also participating in the steering committee.

In 2006, DFAIT created a unit called Edu-Canada to coordinate the work of Canadian missions in the promotion of Canadian education abroad; to create a promotional campaign and the development of a new brand, now known as “Education au/in Canada”; to facilitate relations between provinces and non-governmental organizations and our missions abroad; and to develop a strategy to support student recruitment in priority countries.

The Edu-Canada initiative was included in the global commerce strategy and is closely aligned with other DFAIT programs—for example, scholarships and Canadian studies. The federal budget in 2007-08 provided $1 million each year through 2011-12 for this initiative.

Following consultations with the provinces and stakeholders in international education, the department identified nine countries and four priority regions for targeted marketing activities where 75% of the total budget is allocated to missions, that is to say our overseas embassies. The remaining resources are allocated to other markets. Our priority markets are China, India, the United States, Korea, Japan, Mexico, Germany, France and Brazil, the Persian Gulf—including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait—North Africa—including Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, and Libya—the Caribbean and the countries of South East Asia. France, Morocco, Tunisia and Egypt are priority markets of interest for francophone institutions in minority language communities. Other markets of interest for francophone institutions in minority language communities where we support marketing and promotion initiatives are Switzerland, Lebanon, Senegal, Mali, Ivory Coast and Cameroon.

A recent report commissioned by the department found that international students contribute $6.5 million annually to the Canadian economy. The study also demonstrated that international students generate $291 million in government revenue, as well as economic activity that generates employment for 83,000 Canadians.

International students constitute a desirable source of potential immigrants, and the CIC has developed programs aimed at retaining these students as permanent residents after graduation, such as the post-graduate work program and the new Canadian experience class.

The OECD estimates that the number of international students in the world will increase from 2 million in 1994 to 7.2 million in 2025, with the majority coming from Asia. Growth in the middle class in many developing countries is also a factor in the increasing number of international students.

DFAIT works with provincial governments and other federal departments through the Federal-Provincial Consultative Committee on Education-Related International Affairs regarding governance and development of the Imagine Education au/in Canada brand. The committee was created by an agreement between DFAIT and the Council of Ministers of Education and meets at least twice annually. Collaborative efforts also include the establishment of a calendar of signature events for education promotion and partnership.

The department also regularly consults with regional and national associations involved in international education, notably the Association des universités francophones du Canada and the Réseau des cégeps et des collèges francophones du Canada, with the goal of creating awareness and making our services and activities available to meet their needs and interests. Representing 13 universities outside of Quebec, AUFC's mandate is to promote opportunities for studying in French throughout Canada's minority language communities. The Réseau des cégeps et des collèges francophones du Canada is a network aiming to develop college training in Canada through cooperation, promotion, and exchanges. The Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade also regularly consults with the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada and the Association of Canadian Community Colleges.

Twice annually the department organizes the national education marketing round table on the subject of education promotion. At this round table, the department presents reports on its activities in education marketing and offers participants the opportunity to present reports and to discuss issues of collective interest in the education marketing sector.

In 2009-2010, more than 35 Canadian missions organized education marketing events. Many of these events are fairs which offer substantial or moderate opportunities for education institutions located within francophone minority communities. In many countries, the immigration sections of the missions equally contribute to the event's success by providing information on procedures to obtain visas and study permits.

In the Maghreb, for example, some promotional activities have great potential to attract students to institutions located in minority francophone communities, including Study in Canada fairs organized by Canadian missions in Tunisia and Morocco. These fairs lasted two or three days and attracted 1,500 and 2,500 visitors. In francophone Africa, in January 2010, Canadian missions in Senegal, Mali, Cameroon and Ivory Coast also held Study in Canada Recruitment fairs, attracting between 1,000 and 2,000 visitors each. In October 2010, there will be Study in Canada fairs in Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt and Lebanon as part of a greater tour of the Middle East and North Africa. In February 2011, there will also be a Study in Canada tour in Senegal, Mali, Cameroon and the Ivory Coast.

In France, a full-time employee at the embassy in Paris dedicated to academic relations provides advice and support to education institutions interested in recruiting French students and establishing inter-institutional agreements with French institutions. The Association des universités de la francophonie canadienne worked in close collaboration with the Canadian mission in France delivering promotional activities in January 2010. The Canadian Cultural Centre also offers bimonthly information sessions on studying in Canada. In October 2010, the Canadian mission in France will be organizing a Canadian Pavilion at an international student recruitment fair in which Canada will be the country of honour. As for Switzerland, the Canadian mission in Zurich organized a booth at three fairs aimed at the recruitment of students.

It is worth noting that primarily English-speaking markets also offer important opportunities for Francophone institutions including Mexico, Brazil and China. For example, China offers a certain potential for Francophone institutions and the missions in China organize Canadian Pavilions at international recruitment fairs as well as information workshops on recruiting doctoral students.

In 2010-2011, promotional activities will also take place in Mexico, Brazil, Vietnam, Spain, the Netherlands, Germany, Norway, Turkey and the Czech Republic, countries where there is modest but real demand for study in French-language programs in Canada.

I'll skip over the list of institutions we are working with, the minority francophone institutions in a minority situation.

I would like to wrap up by noting that in terms of our other signature events each year, the Department of Foreign Affairs organizes a Canadian pavilion at the European Association for International Education, which will take place in Nantes this September 2010.

The European Association for International Education attracts post-secondary representatives with an interest in developing institutional partnerships of exchange or collaboration. On the margins of the next conference in Nantes, the department plans to organize a Canada-France round table on the mobility of international students, which will bring together institutions from both countries.

We are also planning to organize a familiarization tour on education in Canada for French journalists who will visit educational institutions in key provinces and particularly those located in minority francophone communities.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

[The Chair, Conservative, Steven Blaney]

Thank you very much, Mr. Greenshields.

We'll begin our first round with Mr. Bélanger.

Go ahead, please.

[Mauril Bélanger, Liberal, Ottawa—Vanier, ON]

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you for being here this morning, gentlemen.

There's a lot of information and documentation. Five minutes isn't enough to digest it all.

Consequently, will you allow my colleagues and me to call and meet with you individually to explore the information you've given us this morning in greater detail?

[Les Linklater]

Thank you for your question. Mr. Kenney's office is responsible for coordinating activities with MPs and for organizing those kinds of meetings.

[Mauril Bélanger, Liberal, Ottawa—Vanier, ON]

So you can't speak to me directly. We have to go through the minister's office.

[Les Linklater]

I believe the minister has to be aware of the conversations of his—

[Mauril Bélanger, Liberal, Ottawa—Vanier, ON]

Is it because you don't trust me?

[Les Linklater]

We always trust MPs, Mr. Bélanger, but the department has to coordinate important issues—

[Mauril Bélanger, Liberal, Ottawa—Vanier, ON]

I'm not asking anyone to reveal secrets. I'm only asking to talk about the information you've given us, that you'll be making available, in order to understand it better. You're telling me I have to do that in the minister's office!

[Les Linklater]

I'm not saying you have to be in the minister's office, but the request has to be made to the minister's office.

[Mauril Bélanger, Liberal, Ottawa—Vanier, ON]

If people from the public called you, would you speak to them directly or would they have to call the minister's office?

[Les Linklater]

We use our “formats”, for example, the steering committee that I co-chair—

[Mauril Bélanger, Liberal, Ottawa—Vanier, ON]

No, if a Canadian citizen called you to get public information, which is available under the Access to Information Act, could that citizen obtain that information?

[Les Linklater]

We can respond to requests, but to organize meetings, we always have to inform the minister's office—

[Mauril Bélanger, Liberal, Ottawa—Vanier, ON]

If I called you as a citizen, not as a member of Parliament, would that work?

[Les Linklater]

I would say that, in response to that kind of request, I would coordinate my answers with—

[Mauril Bélanger, Liberal, Ottawa—Vanier, ON]

Pardon me, but we've just opened a door. If I call you and you inform the minister that I'm requesting information, that's your instruction; that doesn't bother me. However, are you telling me that I have to go through the minister's office in order to speak to you?

[Les Linklater]

If the idea is to organize a meeting, that's correct.

[Mauril Bélanger, Liberal, Ottawa—Vanier, ON]

Well then, we'll come back to that.

Mr. Chairman, I'd like to thank our researchers who have prepared a series of excellent questions. I therefore put questions 6 to 11 to the representatives from the Department of Citizenship and Immigration. I can send them to you like that; I won't need to read them to you. I think it would be interesting to get the answers to those questions for our study and our report. I'd like to submit questions 6 to 11, which are on page 5 of the document that was distributed to us to Mr. Linklater so we can get the answers.

I'm going to ask you two questions, starting with the fifth: what are your performance indicators for the Strategic Plan?

[Les Linklater]

We have a number of performance indicators for the Strategic Plan. We go through the steering committee to ensure that we have close communication. With regard to priorities, I'm going to ask Mr. Saint-Germain for more details. Through that committee, we ensure that our activities are directly related to priorities.

[Yves Saint-Germain, Director, Information, Language and Community Program Policy, Department of Citizenship and Immigration]

With regard to the Strategic Plan, the various indicators concern the calculation of a number of French-speaking immigrants who arrive in Canada every year. This is a key indicator because it's the basis of our—

[Mauril Bélanger, Liberal, Ottawa—Vanier, ON]

I'm going to stop you, Mr. Saint-Germain. Are your performance indicators quantified and established? Do they exist?