Starting in 2009.
Evidence of meeting #42 for Official Languages in the 40th Parliament, 3rd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was yukon.
Evidence of meeting #42 for Official Languages in the 40th Parliament, 3rd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was yukon.
9:35 a.m.
Director, French Language Services Directorate, Government of Yukon
Starting in 2009.
9:35 a.m.
Director, French Language Services Directorate, Government of Yukon
That wouldn't have enabled us to do everything, but—
9:35 a.m.
Conservative
9:35 a.m.
Director, French Language Services Directorate, Government of Yukon
I wasn't there, but we got the same amount, $1,750,000.
9:35 a.m.
Conservative
9:35 a.m.
Director, French Language Services Directorate, Government of Yukon
Yes, but it was for everything.
9:35 a.m.
Conservative
9:35 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Steven Blaney
Thank you, Mr. Galipeau.
We'll begin our second round with Mr. Murphy.
Mr. Murphy, go ahead please.
9:35 a.m.
Liberal
Brian Murphy Liberal Moncton—Riverview—Dieppe, NB
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Thank you, ladies and gentlemen.
This is my first visit to the Yukon. It's incredible. I'm delighted to be here. I come from the east. I come from Moncton, New Brunswick.
There is federal official languages legislation in New Brunswick, of course. We were the first officially bilingual province with the provincial act of 1982. We established an order on bilingualism at the city of Moncton.
When I arrived here, I saw that you had the Languages Act. If I understand correctly, that means that this act respects the fact that there are two official languages in Canada. However, nothing is said about the official language of Yukon.
If I understand correctly, there is no act respecting official languages—English, French or other—in Yukon. Is that correct?
9:40 a.m.
Director, French Language Services Directorate, Government of Yukon
Yes. We say that Yukon accepts English and French as the official languages, but the act does not concern the official languages.
9:40 a.m.
Liberal
Brian Murphy Liberal Moncton—Riverview—Dieppe, NB
Consequently, there's no commissioner of official languages here either.
9:40 a.m.
Director, French Language Services Directorate, Government of Yukon
Pardon me?
9:40 a.m.
Liberal
Brian Murphy Liberal Moncton—Riverview—Dieppe, NB
If I understand correctly, it's somewhat different in the Territories. We'll see in Yellowknife tomorrow. This is a very large legal field and I wonder why not. I apologize to everyone, but I'm a lawyer. However, the Supreme Court decisions state that we have a federal act respecting official languages. It may be time for Yukon to have the same status. I'm going to continue in English.
The Canadian Constitution does not contain any provisions relating to jurisdictions in matters of language, but in 1988 the Supreme Court reaffirmed that language is not an independent matter of legislation; it is rather ancillary to the exercise of jurisdiction with respect to some classes of subject matter assigned to Parliament. In other words, they're saying it's quite all right for provincial legislatures and city councils to adopt language charters or laws.
I wonder what you think of whether the time has arrived for the Yukon to have its own official languages act. I know you have a languages act, but as far as your own legislature, you're not saying whether English or French, or any other languages, are official languages in your bustling and vibrant territory.
What do you individually think of that? If you'd step out there, that would be much appreciated.
9:40 a.m.
Deputy Minister and Cabinet Secretary, Executive Council Office, Government of Yukon
The government of the late 1980s provided some political direction, and the legislature acceded to that. I think that is a matter that would fall within the elected officials' realm of activity in terms of determining a direction for the territory. Certainly at that time, in the late 1980s, there was recognition of not only the francophone community in the Yukon but a significant first nations population.
The Languages Act makes some comments with respect to aboriginal languages, and I think it contains some provisions with respect to aboriginal language services. Through our discussions with the first nation citizens in the Yukon, I think the emphasis with respect to aboriginal languages was put on revitalization and preservation. While there are significant levels of fluency in a couple of areas, there have been impacts on the health of other aboriginal languages, so it has charted a bit of a different course.
I think part of the reality in the Yukon is not only the francophone community but the first nations community as well. We have made efforts in both areas, as a government.
9:40 a.m.
Liberal
Brian Murphy Liberal Moncton—Riverview—Dieppe, NB
I understand it's a bit of a political decision, but you're in the trenches. I wonder what you think of this, then.
If I understand the funding agreements that have been signed--there was one signed last year with your territory--there was some money put forward for implementation of official languages policy in the Northwest Territories, which is a larger land mass and all that sort of thing. According to the documents, I think it received grants of a larger amount than the Yukon. They have an official languages act, a commissioner, and all that. Do you think it has anything to do with that?
9:45 a.m.
Director, French Language Services Directorate, Government of Yukon
I cannot talk on behalf of the Northwest Territories. I know the Northwest Territories is putting its own money into the implementation of French language offices, and it may be because there are three languages as well. You have the first nations, the francophones, and all that. So maybe that's....
Perhaps that's why the budget envelope is a little bigger, a little larger.
9:45 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Steven Blaney
Merci. Thank you, Mr. Murphy.
Now we'll go on.
We'll continue with Ms. Guay.
9:45 a.m.
Bloc
9:45 a.m.
Bloc
Monique Guay Bloc Rivière-du-Nord, QC
I wonder about the fact that there is no commissioner or system to verify the situation and prepare annual reports as is done at the federal level. As you know, I'm from Quebec, where we have Bill 101, which protects the French language, and it works well. We have to work hard to keep it working well because there's always a risk of assimilation, the possibility that French may fall back. It would be good for you to have tools to analyze your progress every year. Do you have that? You say there is no commissioner. Who does that work? Who conducts those assessments?
