According to the statistics.
Evidence of meeting #44 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 dawson.
Evidence of meeting #44 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 dawson.
8:45 p.m.
President, Commission scolaire francophone du Yukon
These are people whose mother tongue is French.
8:45 p.m.
Conservative
8:45 p.m.
President, Espace France-Yukon
Yes. In villages like Watson Lake and Haines Junction, for example, out of a total population of 500, approximately 5% to 7% are Francophones. In actual fact, however, they are not counted.
8:45 p.m.
Conservative
Guy Lauzon Conservative Stormont—Dundas—South Glengarry, ON
These people speak French among themselves in their village, do they not? And yet there are no services in French.
8:45 p.m.
Board Member, Centre de la Francophonie à Dawson
I haven't been there, but having opened the Centre de la francophonie in Dawson and spent some time there, I can tell you that a woman from Watson Lake came to see us, and was extremely happy to discover that we existed, saying that no such services were available where she lives. Right away she wanted to speak to me in French, but she was unable to finish her sentence.
No, services of this kind are not offered in all the communities. That's why I say that it could be of interest in that regard. Perhaps it could be a second stepping stone for the Francophone community in the Yukon. There are Francophones in a major urban centre, and there are also Francophones in smaller communities.
How is the Francophone community evolving there, living side by side with the First Nations and Anglophones? We hear that a small community in the Northwest Territories has set up its own French-language school. What impact has that had on the community? Can we learn something from their circumstances? That is the stage we are at now. The Francophone community in the capital has achieved a certain maturity. It has made certain gains, and it's not over yet. We continue to move forward, but what is happening in the other communities? I think we are living in very interesting times. Also, we are discovering that there are Francophones in those places.
8:50 p.m.
Conservative
Guy Lauzon Conservative Stormont—Dundas—South Glengarry, ON
In closing, I would like to say that Francophones in the Yukon are very courageous. In my region, Francophones are not as courageous as you are. That's why I support you.
Do you any questions, Mr. Galipeau?
8:50 p.m.
Conservative
Royal Galipeau Conservative Ottawa—Orléans, ON
I would like to come back to the Commissioner of Official Languages, who seems to be quite reluctant to get involved in the issues of interest to you, supposedly because this falls within territorial jurisdiction. I will speak to Mr. Fraser and explain that the territories fall within federal jurisdiction. I would like to see how we can address this situation in our discussions.
Do you have any positive arguments you would like to share with me?
8:50 p.m.
President, Commission scolaire francophone du Yukon
The Yukon Act is an act passed by the Parliament in Ottawa.
8:50 p.m.
Conservative
Royal Galipeau Conservative Ottawa—Orléans, ON
It's the same thing as for the provinces, where the municipalities are creatures of the province?
8:50 p.m.
President, Commission scolaire francophone du Yukon
Exactly. From a constitutional standpoint, that's the way it works. Once again, let's be clear. In 1988, the Yukon Languages Act was established precisely because the then minister, Serge Joyal, wanted to impose federal legislation on the territories. He gave them very little time to get organized, and threatened to impose legislation on them. Unfortunately, here we have a government which has decided to do as little as possible. Other territorial governments have decided to go much further.
8:50 p.m.
President, Commission scolaire francophone du Yukon
Yes, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut.
8:50 p.m.
Bloc
8:50 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Steven Blaney
Ms. Guay has agreed to share her speaking time with Ms. Zarac and Mr. Bélanger to wrap up the meeting.
8:50 p.m.
Conservative
8:50 p.m.
Liberal
Mauril Bélanger Liberal Ottawa—Vanier, ON
If you're giving them to me--
Go ahead and take your 30 seconds right away.
8:50 p.m.
Conservative
Royal Galipeau Conservative Ottawa—Orléans, ON
Coming back to the idea that the territories are creatures of the federal government and that the municipalities are creatures of the province, I recall complaining to the Ontario Minister for Municipal Affairs about something silly a municipality had done. The minister had completely washed his hands of the whole affair and told us to fix the problem in the next election. And that is what we did.
8:50 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Steven Blaney
Informal discussions will be possible after the committee meeting. Actually, there is a place next door that would be appropriate for that.
8:50 p.m.
A voice
Ah, ah!
8:50 p.m.
Liberal
Mauril Bélanger Liberal Ottawa—Vanier, ON
Mr. Bourcier, did you get an answer to the letter you sent to Mr. Lussier on September 8, 2009?
