Evidence of meeting #49 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 report.
A recording is available from Parliament.
9:50 a.m.
NDP
Claude Gravelle NDP Nickel Belt, ON
Thank you, Mr. Godin.
Is your report on results for the implementation of section 41 of the Official Languages Act ready?
9:50 a.m.
Assistant Deputy Minister, Human Resources and Corporate Services, Department of Fisheries and Oceans
I didn't hear the question.
9:50 a.m.
Deputy Minister, Department of Fisheries and Oceans
Are you talking about Part VII of the act?
9:50 a.m.
NDP
Claude Gravelle NDP Nickel Belt, ON
I'm talking about the report you have to submit to Canadian Heritage.
9:50 a.m.
Deputy Minister, Department of Fisheries and Oceans
All the work has been completed on the report on Part VII of the Official Languages Act.
9:50 a.m.
Assistant Deputy Minister and Champion of Official Languages, Strategic Policy, Department of Fisheries and Oceans
Yes, but there's no annual report—
9:50 a.m.
NDP
Claude Gravelle NDP Nickel Belt, ON
I'm talking about section 41 and the report you should submit to Canadian Heritage.
9:50 a.m.
Deputy Minister, Department of Fisheries and Oceans
If it's a report on the project, yes, that's been done.
9:50 a.m.
NDP
Claude Gravelle NDP Nickel Belt, ON
You obviously don't understand section 41. Can you inquire and report to the committee as to whether the report is ready and, if it's not, when it will be?
9:50 a.m.
NDP
Claude Gravelle NDP Nickel Belt, ON
Can you explain to me how official languages are integrated into the Committee on Economic Trends and Policy on which you sit?
9:50 a.m.
Deputy Minister, Department of Fisheries and Oceans
Are you talking about the committee of deputy ministers? That committee is bilingual. As you know, it is co-chaired by deputy ministers Richard Dicerni, from Industry Canada, and Yaprak Baltacioglu. It's a completely bilingual committee: all the documentation is in both languages and the discussions are held in both languages.
9:50 a.m.
NDP
Claude Gravelle NDP Nickel Belt, ON
Can you name the three official language subjects you discussed in that committee?
9:50 a.m.
Deputy Minister, Department of Fisheries and Oceans
We don't discuss official language issues; we discuss economic trends in both official languages. If you're asking us whether we consider the official language issue in Canada in that committee, I would tell you that it would be in the context of economic issues, not in the context of specific topics.
9:50 a.m.
NDP
Claude Gravelle NDP Nickel Belt, ON
Are official languages part of your managers' performance agreements?
9:50 a.m.
Deputy Minister, Department of Fisheries and Oceans
Yes, that's the case.
9:50 a.m.
NDP
Claude Gravelle NDP Nickel Belt, ON
Can you explain to me how your official language plan deals with the operating budget freeze announced in Budget 2010?
9:50 a.m.
Deputy Minister, Department of Fisheries and Oceans
As I indicated in the report on plans and priorities, everything we do with regard to official languages is an integral part of our everyday work. So it's about service to the public, our offer, about service to employees. That's an integral part of our work.
We aren't like the Department of Canadian Heritage, which is closely related to official language issues, but that's part of our everyday work. It's in the context of that work that we've made our changes and improvements in the area of official languages.
9:50 a.m.
NDP
Claude Gravelle NDP Nickel Belt, ON
How do you coordinate official languages among the deputy ministers committees?
9:50 a.m.
Deputy Minister, Department of Fisheries and Oceans
Are you talking, for example, about the committee on the economy? As I said earlier, all the meetings of the deputy ministers committees are conducted in both languages. The documentation, discussions, presentations, everything is done in both languages. As I said, that's an integral part of our work.
9:50 a.m.
NDP
The Vice-Chair NDP Yvon Godin
Thank you, Mr. Gravelle.
Now we're going to begin a third round. I believe everyone will have approximately two minutes. We'll start with Mr. Bélanger.
9:55 a.m.
Liberal
Mauril Bélanger Liberal Ottawa—Vanier, ON
Ms. Dansereau, can you tell me whether your department is designated, within the meaning of the Official Languages Act, as having to report to either the Department of Canadian Heritage or to Treasury Board?
9:55 a.m.
Deputy Minister, Department of Fisheries and Oceans
We aren't a designated department.