Evidence of meeting #46 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 yellowknife.
2:35 p.m.
Liberal
Lise Zarac Liberal LaSalle—Émard, QC
You do not have that impression.
I guess I will put the same question to Mr. Pitre or Ms. Francoeur.
2:35 p.m.
Chairman of the Board of Directors, Conseil de développement économique des Territoires du Nord-Ouest
I should point out that I have been here for 30 years. I have travelled from Iqaluit to Whitehorse. I am familiar with some 65 communities. I am pretty well acquainted with the reality all across Northern Canada. I set up the French-language school and secured funding for Hay River. I was a member of the school board for eight years and, for eight years, I have sat on the Conseil de développement économique des Territoires du Nord-Ouest.
First of all, Francophones who come here often have a job. Perhaps that explains our unemployment rate. People do not come here for pleasure; rather, because there is work or because they want to be hired.
In terms of the feeling of having to compete, there is no doubt that if the territorial government gives something to Francophones, it absolutely must give the same thing to the Dene. There are five aboriginal languages. It is difficult to give something to one and not the other. In a way, it's always the same problem. For example, the schools were used to receive funding of $4.3 million. I believe the territorial government was giving them $600,000. The rest came from the federal government. It was somewhat the same situation as in Hay River. The dynamic is not always the same as elsewhere. It's not English and French; instead, it is English, the aboriginal languages, French, and so on.
2:35 p.m.
Liberal
2:35 p.m.
Chairman of the Board of Directors, Conseil de développement économique des Territoires du Nord-Ouest
It clearly is not fair from one end of the country to the other. There are 1 million Francophones outside Quebec. But the RDEE, or Coordinating Group on Economic Development and Employment, receives $12 million a year. That is not a lot of money, and it doesn't allow you to do much.
2:35 p.m.
Liberal
Lise Zarac Liberal LaSalle—Émard, QC
In terms of funding, you said that you received yours from Human Resources and Skills Development Canada.
2:35 p.m.
Chairman of the Board of Directors, Conseil de développement économique des Territoires du Nord-Ouest
Yes.
2:35 p.m.
Liberal
Lise Zarac Liberal LaSalle—Émard, QC
According to the figures we've been given, you receive the same amount of money as the two other territories.
2:35 p.m.
Jean-François Pitre
The three territories receive $300,000 a year.
2:35 p.m.
Liberal
2:35 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Steven Blaney
Thank you, Ms. Zarac. You may have another opportunity later.
Mr. Godin, please. No, I'm sorry; you are up next, Ms. Guay.
February 9th, 2011 / 2:35 p.m.
Bloc
2:35 p.m.
Bloc
Monique Guay Bloc Rivière-du-Nord, QC
Okay, that's fine. It will be his turn next.
Good afternoon to all our witnesses. I have several quick questions for you.
A French-language newspaper is important. In Whitehorse, they have L'Aurore boréale. Francophones there are having a lot of trouble keeping it afloat. One example they gave us was an ad that the federal government published in English and French in an English-language newspaper, but not in the French-language newspaper. Yet the newspaper needs these ads in order to survive.
How are things working at your end?
2:40 p.m.
Manager, Éditions franco-ténoises, Aquilon et la Société Radio Taïga
If that sort of thing were to occur, I would immediately contact the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages. That sort of thing is not supposed to happen. The federal government's guidelines stipulate that, if an ad appears in English in a majority language newspaper, it must appear in French in a minority language newspaper. That is not right. Often a phone call--
2:40 p.m.
Bloc
Monique Guay Bloc Rivière-du-Nord, QC
That also represents revenues for your newspaper. This is significant advertising.
2:40 p.m.
Manager, Éditions franco-ténoises, Aquilon et la Société Radio Taïga
At the present time, the newspaper generates approximately 80% of its revenues independently, through sales.
2:40 p.m.
Bloc
2:40 p.m.
Manager, Éditions franco-ténoises, Aquilon et la Société Radio Taïga
It is distributed free of charge to Francophones in the NWT. If it is sent outside the Territories, however, there is a cost for postage.
2:40 p.m.
Bloc
Monique Guay Bloc Rivière-du-Nord, QC
Mr. Lepage, you say that you have no French-language daycare centres. Is that correct?
2:40 p.m.
Bloc
Monique Guay Bloc Rivière-du-Nord, QC
Are there many families that have French as a first language and speak French at home? In your case, your wife is English-speaking. But the children are able to learn French at home.
2:40 p.m.
Vice-President, Association franco-culturelle de Hay River
That isn't enough.
2:40 p.m.
Vice-President, Association franco-culturelle de Hay River
No, because we are surrounded by Anglophones.
2:40 p.m.
Bloc