Official Languages Committee on March 23rd, 2010

[James Moore, Conservative, Port Moody—Westwood—Port Coquitlam, BC]

We are talking today about our expenditures in the area of the official languages. Some $337 million is—

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

Is it in the throne speech?

[James Moore, Conservative, Port Moody—Westwood—Port Coquitlam, BC]

It is in our budget. You said that there was no funding tied to the official languages in our budget.

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

Pardon me, I meant to say in the budget.

[James Moore, Conservative, Port Moody—Westwood—Port Coquitlam, BC]

Yes.

The purpose of my testimony today is to talk to you about our investment of $337 million in the official languages, in the budget.

[The Chair, Conservative, Steven Blaney]

Thank you very much, Mr. Godin.

We will move on to Ms. Glover.

[Shelly Glover, Conservative, Saint Boniface, MB]

Thank you.

Welcome back, Minister, Ms. Larocque and Mr. Sobrino. We are pleased to see you here again.

Minister, you referred to the roadmap that we often talk about in committee. Since we are talking about a $1.1 billion investment, which is $260 million more, I would like to know where we are with the roadmap.

Is it progressing as planned? I would like to have your comments on this, please.

[James Moore, Conservative, Port Moody—Westwood—Port Coquitlam, BC]

First, I must say that our roadmap has been extremely well followed by our partners in the provinces. Each province is very happy, proud and committed to this project to protect and celebrate our two official languages.

To date, over 61% of the funding allocated for roadmap initiatives has been announced. This represents $788 million.

This is money going to health care, education and local groups providing services to individuals, for example, new Canadians, in the official language of their choice.

This is extremely important. There are clearly local successes. We are extremely proud of them.

Mr. Godin talked a bit about the budget. But we must understand that this is a five-year project.

We are extremely pleased with this commitment and the success that we have already seen in this area.

[Shelly Glover, Conservative, Saint Boniface, MB]

As was mentioned, you were invited to take part for two hours. It's unfortunate that this meeting was unable to take place, because I know that the roadmap has done a lot for minority language communities, including the anglophone community in Quebec.

I would like to know what the $260 million in additional funding—something we often repeat—means for the roadmap? What more does this bring?

[James Moore, Conservative, Port Moody—Westwood—Port Coquitlam, BC]

This funding is in addition to the funding provided under the program put in place by the former Liberal government that preceded our government. We increased funding because we believe that Canada's two official languages is a real gift that we must protect and that we can celebrate. This really gives us an advantage both nationally and internationally.

Furthermore, we want to invest in our young people. We have created a new fund within the program for our artists. For example, this exists in Acadia. We also saw, during the Olympic and Paralympic Games, that culture and official languages go hand in hand with official languages promotion.

This is extremely clear to all those who understand the importance of the culture associated with each official language.

New programs have been created, there is new funding for our artists, for our young people, for our education system. This is a five-year commitment and a 20% increase over the old program.

These are clear and undisputed successes. I am extremely proud of what we have accomplished.

[Shelly Glover, Conservative, Saint Boniface, MB]

I am extremely proud as well.

I would like to take advantage of your appearance here to tell you that, yes, last week we heard from groups representing francophone media, and they were pleased with the changes they have seen within your department. The APF, in particular, published a press release stating that the Canada Periodical Fund was extraordinary. They believe that this will help them to meet a number of the challenges they faced.

What is the Canada Periodical Fund replacing?

[James Moore, Conservative, Port Moody—Westwood—Port Coquitlam, BC]

We decided to change the program and also make sure that the funds are available for francophone communities and newspapers serving minority language communities, because this is extremely important.

I often talk about our roadmap for linguistic duality, but it is also essential to understand that federal investments relate to the official languages roadmap, the Canada Media Fund, the assistance for newspapers and our funding for a number of other things. It always includes funding specifically for our official languages. That is always taken into account in the government's decisions.

[Shelly Glover, Conservative, Saint Boniface, MB]

Good. Thank you for your answer.

[The Chair, Conservative, Steven Blaney]

Thank you very much, Mrs. Glover.

We will now begin our second round and begin with the vice-chair of our committee, Mr. Bélanger.

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

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Minister, Deputy Minister, Mr. Sobrino.

We will have an opportunity to return to the roadmap. We will look at this issue because we need to understand that the figures we are talking about barely take inflation into consideration. If we go back to the very beginning from the action plan right up to the roadmap, we will see that what is being done for those communities gives them no increases. We will have an opportunity to get back to this.

Minister, I would like to return to the issue of the Olympics. I was delighted with the fact that you recognized that, in fact, during the opening ceremonies, there were shortcomings. In turn, I too will recognize that, in terms of the organization, signage, announcements, it was quite well done, but let's take things a step further. This situation reflects an unease, a difficulty that I could qualify as “national”. It is true that the Olympics were being held in Vancouver, but they were the Canadian Olympics. I hope that we agree on that.

What happened is a reflection of the fact that French was treated like a language of service, a utilitarian language instead of, and contrary to, what it truly is and what it should be, a language of identity, a language of communities, a cultural language in which a population expresses a collective will.

Minister, I, as a francophone, in watching the opening ceremonies, was unable to identify with them. I can imagine why Premier Charest had the reaction he did. I can understand him and I congratulate you on the way you reacted a few days later when you said that there hadn't been enough French. I think that this is a reflection of the unease that exists not only because of the opening ceremonies of the Olympic Games. It is a reflection that we all recognize, that French, instead of being a language of identity, is becoming a language of service or a utilitarian language.

As Minister of Heritage and Minister responsible for Official Languages, do you understand the significance of this difficulty?

[James Moore, Conservative, Port Moody—Westwood—Port Coquitlam, BC]

I understand the difficulty and I agree. As I said, we were disappointed with what happened during the opening ceremonies, but I totally reject what you said about the fact that French was a language of service at the Olympic Games, that is completely untrue.

Were you at the Olympic Games? Were you in Vancouver?

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

No, Minister. I saw it on television.

[James Moore, Conservative, Port Moody—Westwood—Port Coquitlam, BC]

There were those who were there during the Olympic Games, francophones and anglophones from across Canada who went to Vancouver. There were over 300,000 visitors in Vancouver and they saw a huge celebration in both of Canada's official languages.

Let us consider our investment, as I said, in the Place de la Francophonie and all the volunteers. When we look at the government's commitment, and I know that we talked about it here, in the House, we note that an additional $20 million was invested for VANOC. We listed 15 specific issues that we wanted to see on the ground, not only in terms of services, but also with regard to celebrating Canada's official languages. I can tell you that at Atlantic Canada House, at the Place de la Francophonie, volunteers and events were fully bilingual and respected the official languages. It was a celebration of the francophone fact.

So, when people say that the Olympic Games were not entirely held in both official languages, I disagree. You said that French was a language of service. It is truly sad that this is your perception because it is completely untrue.

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

Minister, I said that the signage and communications were very well done. However, what billions of TV viewers saw—including 31 million Canadians, who, like me, did not go to Vancouver—was not a reflection of biculturalism.

[James Moore, Conservative, Port Moody—Westwood—Port Coquitlam, BC]

I do not agree with you. Both official languages had an even greater presence on TV than they had ever had before in Olympic history. One hundred percent of the country had access to the games in both official languages. This issue was an important matter during this committee's meetings. People wondered whether francophone communities outside Quebec would be able to watch the games. Well, they were able to. These were the most bilingual games in Olympic history. It was a huge success, not only in terms of services provided, but also in terms of the celebrations.

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

Minister, we do not agree. We will stop, because we do not share the same perception of the importance given to French in Canada.

[James Moore, Conservative, Port Moody—Westwood—Port Coquitlam, BC]

Yes, but my perception is based on fact, because I was at the games. I met with and spoke with francophones who attended the games. If we look at what was broadcast on TV, on Channel V, on RDS and on other channels, you have to admit that these were the most bilingual games in Olympic history. It was a resounding success.

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

That is true with regard to communications.

[The Chair, Conservative, Steven Blaney]

Thank you very much.

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

It was true with regard to communications, Minister, but with regard to the language of identity, there, we have a serious problem.