Official Languages Committee on Dec. 9th, 2010

[Col Louis Meloche]

In the half-way point review, there is a direction for the model of the plan. So we don't have any figures. If you want figures, I would be pleased to provide them to you.

[The Chair, Conservative, Steven Blaney]

I would ask you to wait for the next turn to do so.

We will continue with Mr. Godin.

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

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Welcome to all of you.

I would like to ask a couple of questions on the closing of the General Jean-V. Allard Commemorative Library, which is located at the Saint-Jean Garrison. The closing was announced for December 15. This library has 85,000 volumes and is used by approximately 3,000 students and employees.

How many of Canada's military sites have libraries?

[RAdm Andrew Smith]

I cannot say for sure, sir, but there are libraries throughout the country, there's no doubt about that.

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

How many military colleges do we have in Canada?

[RAdm Andrew Smith]

We presently have two military colleges: the Royal Military College of Canada located in Kingston, Ontario, and the Royal Military College of Saint-Jean, in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu.

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

Does the Royal Military College in Kingston have a library?

[RAdm Andrew Smith]

Yes. I would like to point out that the General Jean-V. Allard Library is not located at the military college, it is located at the Saint-Jean Garrison. On the Saint-Jean base. There is a small difference between the two.

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

Are you closing the library in Kingston?

[RAdm Andrew Smith]

No.

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

Why are you closing the library in Saint-Jean, the francophone library?

[RAdm Andrew Smith]

The question is a very good one. First of all, I would say that the question starts to speak to part VII of the Official Languages Act

regarding the preservation and the protection of minority community rights. We take this matter to heart and we recently made fairly significant progress in that regard.

I'm slowly coming to your question, sir.

We have had some very good successes since 2007 in looking after these minority community rights with

the Valcartier Military Family Resource Centre, which worked closely with Service Canada and its Job Bank.

We've had the joint personnel support units that have opened in the western provinces. Also, where there have been francophone concerns and no services available, we have collected and channeled those demands to make sure we have referral services available. Those are two examples.

With respect to

the General Jean-V. Allard Library, I would simply like to point out that it is not being closed; rather, it is being transformed from a library into a learning resources centre.

What I can say is that

I have learned that, since December 2, the General Jean-V. Allard Library was the subject of a complaint which was accepted by the Commissioner of Official Languages. To protect the integrity of the investigation, I cannot speak about it.

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

Excuse me, but I looked into that very matter. You are before the Standing Committee on Official Languages of Parliament. The only place where you can refuse to answer questions is before a court. The Official Languages Commissioner is not a judge, he is an officer of Parliament. We are not a court, and therefore you must answer the questions I put to you, please.

[RAdm Andrew Smith]

Mr. Chairman, I can tell you that the General Jean-V. Allard Library does not fall under my responsibility, but that of the Chief of the Land Staff. This investigation comes as a result of a strategic review which began four years ago.

I don't know what else I can say to you, Monsieur. We're not going to close the library at

the Royal Military College in Saint-Jean, nor the one in Kingston.

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

That's not what I understood. The library is scheduled to close on December 15. Some people who are taking certain courses will still have the right to consult certain books, but others will not have that right any more. Not every student, nor anyone else generally, will have access to those books any more. The library is being closed.

[RAdm Andrew Smith]

No.

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

Fine, then explain to me what is going on, otherwise we will have to, Mr. Chairman, call the Chief of the Land Staff to explain. Our request is very clear, namely that, at today's meeting, we wanted to discuss the college. Why do francophones still have to pay the price?

[RAdm Andrew Smith]

No book will be discarded. The books in question will be offered either to libraries—

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

I did not ask that extra books be added. I am saying that there are 85,000 books in a library, which is scheduled to close on December 15. You are telling me that it will not be closed, but simply reorganized. Can you explain how this reorganization will be a good thing? What is going to be the difference between this library and the one in Kingston?

[RAdm Andrew Smith]

I want to make sure that we are all on the same wavelength. There are libraries at the Royal Military College in Saint-Jean and at the one in Kingston. The library in question is located on the base in Saint-Jean, but not at the Royal Military College in Saint-Jean.

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

It belongs to the Department of National Defence.

[RAdm Andrew Smith]

Surely.

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

Well, whether it is located on Saint-Jean Street or on Saint-Joseph Street, I really couldn't care less. All I am saying is that in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, there is a library for francophones which has 85,000 books, and that 3,000 students can use this library. I have received complaints from people who live in that area. Former members of the armed forces have sent me letters. They are telling me that what is happening is not right, that francophones will lose this library, whereas no other library is being closed anywhere else.

Last night I did a bit of research. It is not finished yet, but until now I have found 19 military sites in Canada which have libraries, and none of those is supposed to close. The only college which the government wanted to close, is the one in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, and to transfer activities from that place to Kingston. Lastly, the government is boasting that the college in Saint-Jean is still operating, but the library will be closed—

[The Chair, Conservative, Steven Blaney]

Thank you, Mr. Godin.

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

—which is worth $175,000.