Official Languages Committee on Feb. 7th, 2011

[Lise Zarac, Liberal, LaSalle—Émard, QC]

You say it's still a more complicated matter to prepare reports, precisely because the questionnaires are quite long. If I remember correctly, the committee was provided with the questionnaire that the organizations had to submit and we were told that the process had to be facilitated. You seem to be telling me that, on the contrary, it's still just as complicated.

[Régis St-Pierre]

No, I said that, when a change occurs, you have to be able to understand it. I wouldn't say it's more complicated. It's different. You have to adjust to certain things that you don't understand as well.

However, we're not afraid. We're not afraid of accountability. At AFY, we have agreements with a host of departments. On a single invoice, there are often six stamps, such as those of Human Resources, Economic Development, the housing fund, entities responsible for culture, and so on. We like accountability when it's well done and simple. You give the runner a chance—that's what I said—not so things will become too complex or to involve us in monthly cashflows and so on.

We're in the first year of the cycle. The cycle isn't yet over. I spoke to the accountant last week, and he said he thought the forms were starting to be quite different. It's improving. We have to be on the look-out.

[Lise Zarac, Liberal, LaSalle—Émard, QC]

All right.

[The Chair, Conservative, Steven Blaney]

Thank you very much, Ms. Zarac.

You have one minute left, Mr. Bélanger.

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

Mr. Nadon, earlier you mentioned that, in the second round, the cultural component of your roadmap was turned down. Were other Yukon projects accepted?

[Roch Nadon]

Yes.

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

Were you told why it was turned down?

[Roch Nadon]

No, hence my disillusionment and the fact that we did not submit a project in the third round. This is happening across Canada. Some communities in the provinces and territories have been well served by the Cultural Development Fund, and others not.

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

In the first round, in which you submitted an application, did you get a positive response?

[Roch Nadon]

Yes.

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

Were you told why you had been given a positive response?

[Roch Nadon]

Yes, absolutely.

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

But you weren't told why you didn't get a positive response in the second round?

[Roch Nadon]

No, and that was the second phase of the same project.

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

The second part of the same project.

[Roch Nadon]

Yes. In the first year, a pilot project had been successful and had even raised expectations in our community with regard to artistic development, among other things. I submitted a second, more substantial project.

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

Is there an appeal mechanism for that kind of decision?

[Roch Nadon]

I didn't get an answer. It should be understood that this is at the employee-employee level.

[The Chair, Conservative, Steven Blaney]

I want to go back to your question, Mr. Bélanger.

In your presentation, you mentioned that the cultural sector of the Association franco-yukonnaise was only able to submit its application to the Cultural Development Fund in its first round of funding because the Cultural Development Fund subsidizes new, non-recurring projects more, and does not support consolidation efforts.

So didn't you provide part of the response in your presentation?

[Roch Nadon]

Yes, absolutely. The second year was really to consolidate—

[The Chair, Conservative, Steven Blaney]

That worked well, but the program was designed for new initiatives.

[Roch Nadon]

That's it. Perhaps I can mention that the selection criteria changed over three years. In my view, it's a bit of a mess.

[The Chair, Conservative, Steven Blaney]

Unless I'm mistaken, you suggest in your recommendations that it not be solely for recurring programs, but that there be a kind of continuation in order to address this situation, in which there were three- or six-month projects.

[Roch Nadon]

Yes, absolutely, and that's mentioned in my remarks.

[The Chair, Conservative, Steven Blaney]

Thank you; we've taken note of that.

Mr. Galipeau.