Official Languages Committee on Feb. 9th, 2011

[Marc Bilodeau, President, Association des parents ayants droit de Yellowknife]

Thank you.

Please forgive me for being late. The medication I took to keep me awake was a little too strong.

As Ms. Francoeur was saying earlier, we fought to secure a gymnasium and additions, both for the first and second option, which is now the subject of a lawsuit. We are awaiting the court ruling. We are there to help the parents of children who have the right to attend French-language school.

As I said earlier, we are pleased with what it is now occurring. We only hope that it will move in the right direction.

[The Chair, Conservative, Steven Blaney]

Thank you.

We are going to begin immediately with Mr. Bélanger.

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

Thank you one and all. Welcome to the committee.

I have two or three questions of a general nature which are intended to complete the profile we are attempting to develop. Is there a community foundation for the Francophone community here in the Northwest Territories?

[Marie Coderre]

The federation has a foundation for Francophones in the NWT.

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

It's the federation.

[Marie Coderre]

But we are unable to take advantage of it. Richard Létourneau may be able to give you more information about that.

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

It exists and you are slowly but surely building up capital.

[Marie Coderre]

Yes, it exists.

[Royal Galipeau, Conservative, Ottawa—Orléans, ON]

We asked whether there was a foundation. She is thinking of the federation.

[Marie Coderre]

No, the federation has such a foundation. Other organizations gravitate around the federation and have links to it.

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

Yes. I understood that.

Has it been in place for a long time?

[Marie Coderre]

Mr. Létourneau is in a better position to tell you that than I am.

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

Are there other groups, such as the scouts, guides, club Richelieu or other social clubs of that nature here in Yellowknife?

[Suzette Montreuil]

Yes, they exist, but they are all Anglophone.

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

So, we have seen everything that is available for the Francophone community.

[Suzette Montreuil]

That is what is available at school and through the youth committees.

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

My next question is addressed to the representatives of the school board. Section 23 gives you the right to manage your institutions.

[Suzette Montreuil]

Yes.

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

Do you manage your institutions? By that I mean, your schools, buildings, and so on.

[Suzette Montreuil]

The buildings do not belong to us. They belong to the government.

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

Do you hire your own staff?

[Suzette Montreuil]

Yes, but they are employed by the government of the Northwest Territories.

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

So, you have no budgets to pay their salaries.

[Suzette Montreuil]

Philippe, could you answer that question?

[Philippe Brûlot, Superintendent, Commission scolaire francophone des Territoires du Nord-Ouest]

Yes. To pay the employees, we take money out of our general administration fund, which comes partly from the NWT government, to the tune of $3.5 million, and partly from the federal government, to the tune of $1.15 million.

I would like to add one thing. You asked a question about powers. One of the powers school boards and school board trustees are recognized as having is the power to develop policies. One of those policies is control over admissions.