Official Languages Committee on March 24th, 2011

[Mitch Davies]

The commissioner's report makes reference to the need for those working in economic development to understand the needs of the communities, particularly the minority language communities. Last fall we held national consultations with anglophone and francophone minority language communities, where we had all the regional agencies. In the case of western Canada, Western Economic Diversification staff were there as were organizations representing the folks in the community who want these agencies to understand their needs to ensure there is appropriate outreach, appropriate research.

We've undertaken research projects to develop a better understanding of the economic development needs of those communities. We are sharing that with all the regional agencies. One of our responsibilities in the department is to improve that.

[Yvon Godin, NDP, Acadie—Bathurst, NB]

The commissioner noted that Industry Canada is currently preparing an official languages action plan for 2010-2013. This will be the first time that the department has had such a plan for all of the sectors and divisions with respect to parts IV, V and VI of the Official Languages Act.

Has the plan been finished? Have you submitted a draft to the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages? Could we obtain a copy of this plan?

[Richard Dicerni]

We are currently working on this plan. We are expecting to finish it in May. Once we have completed and cleaned up the plan, we will be sharing it with the commissioner in order to ascertain whether we need to make any changes, although we do think that we have done some good work. Once this has been done, we will post it on our website and send you a copy.

[Yvon Godin, NDP, Acadie—Bathurst, NB]

Will you send a copy to the committee?

[Richard Dicerni]

I will send a copy to the committee vice-chair and to the entire committee.

[Yvon Godin, NDP, Acadie—Bathurst, NB]

Fine, thank you.

[Monique Guay, Bloc, Rivière-du-Nord, QC]

You should send it to the committee clerk.

[Yvon Godin, NDP, Acadie—Bathurst, NB]

It would be better to send it to the committee clerk.

[The Vice-Chair, Liberal, Mauril Bélanger]

You have 15 seconds remaining, Mr. Godin.

[Yvon Godin, NDP, Acadie—Bathurst, NB]

Did you receive an A for any category?

I am looking at the commissioner's report and your marks are all Bs, Cs and Ds. It is as though people had been misclassified and everything was going well at Industry Canada.

[Richard Dicerni]

There is always room for improvement. Last year, we took action and we would have a better score if we were to get another report card, I am convinced of that. We will know when the Office of the Commissioner does its next report.

Meanwhile, we will continue doing our polls and verifications. I asked the people on the official languages verification committee who work at the department to continue doing this. We will be conducting a verification.

[The Vice-Chair, Liberal, Mauril Bélanger]

Before thanking you, if I may, I would like to make a comment and ask you a quick question.

I have made the same suggestion to your colleague from the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Mr. Rosenberg, who met with us on Tuesday. I suggested that he take a look at the action plan prepared by the Deputy Minister of Natural Resources Canada. This plan is well done. I believe that the committee members would be pleased to have a certain reference point or means of comparing one plan with another.

I am not expecting you to answer this question today. I would appreciate it, however, if you would take the time to think about it, and to send us an answer over the next few weeks when some of us may be busy doing something else. The industry sector is to a large extent based on science. Like it or not, the English language is fairly dominant in these two sectors. What is the Department of Industry doing to give greater space to French in scientific research? For example, do you have any special collaborative projects underway with francophone universities or something along that line? I would like to know how the department is trying to reposition Canada's francophone scientific presence on the international scene.

[Richard Dicerni]

I will give you a brief answer.

If you are interested in that, I would suggest a joint presentation with the three granting councils. As a matter of fact, grants to researchers and universities come from the granting councils.

[The Vice-Chair, Liberal, Mauril Bélanger]

There's the National Research Council.

[Richard Dicerni]

Pardon?

[The Vice-Chair, Liberal, Mauril Bélanger]

There's perhaps also the National Research Council.

[Richard Dicerni]

I will make a note of that and mention to them that you are interested in this. Perhaps, on a subsequent round, when you've had an opportunity to renew your term...

[The Vice-Chair, Liberal, Mauril Bélanger]

That's right. We are heading into contract renewal time.

[Some voices]

Oh, oh!

[Richard Dicerni]

We can discuss this again later. The granting councils have the lead on this.

[The Vice-Chair, Liberal, Mauril Bélanger]

All right.

Mr. Davies, Mr. James and Mr. Dicerni, thank you for being here this morning.

We are going to take a break before hearing other witnesses.

[The Vice-Chair, Liberal, Mauril Bélanger]

Ladies, gentlemen, we are resuming our meeting.

We have with us here in the room three representatives of Service Canada: Mr. Charles Nixon, Ms. Gina Rallis and Mr. Dominique La Salle.

We also have on the phone the senior associate deputy minister, Ms. Liseanne Forand.

I don't know whether Ms. Forand is going to be the first to speak.

[Liseanne Forand, Chief Operating Officer, Senior Associate Deputy Minister of the Department of Human Resources and Skills Development, Service Canada]

Yes, that's right, Mr. Chairman.

[The Vice-Chair, Liberal, Mauril Bélanger]

Ms. Forand, go ahead.

[Liseanne Forand]

Thank you very much.

First, I would really like to thank you for making the arrangements to enable me to participate in the committee's meeting today.

Before I begin with a few brief opening remarks, I would also like to begin by apologizing for the lack of precision I displayed when I appeared on March 8.

I am, of course, sorry for any confusion arising from the lack of precision and clarity.