Evidence of meeting #10 for Official Languages in the 41st Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was media.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Conservative
Bernard Trottier Conservative Etobicoke—Lakeshore, ON
Thank you.
I now have a question for Ms. Ryan.
Let's talk about community newspapers,
Canadian newspapers.
Do you find that young people pick up community newspapers? If not, why not? What can you do to increase readership amongst youth in your linguistic community?
Member of the Board of Directors, Editor, West Quebec Post, Quebec Community Newspapers Association
One of the jobs of community newspapers in a minority language situation is to explain to that population what's going on around them. In Quebec there's a lot of support for youth. Le Secrétariat à la jeunesse is attached to Monsieur Charest's office. What happens for youth is very important to youth. We cover what happens in French to the English population as much as possible.
We have strong ties with organizations that deal with youth. Forum Jeunesse is an organization that has a funding program. They have grants up to $5,000 for youth by youth. So as much as possible we keep that in the newspapers. All of the members do that. Even if youth don't always read the paper, their families do, and that information trickles down to them. It brings them back in, because we always publish websites and they loop back in.
Certainly it's more the adult population that is reading newspapers, advertising in newspapers, and writing letters. But youth are movers and shakers, so we cover what they do. We run photos of youth. There are photos of youth on our front page building their communities. So they and their peers are reading the paper.
Conservative
Bernard Trottier Conservative Etobicoke—Lakeshore, ON
Do you have any statistics on readership and listeners among youth? How do you define youth? Do have any data? Maybe you have stories that you can share with young people.
Executive Director, Association de la presse francophone
Our readers are as much as 18 years old. We really have any data on this, although we could probably look at it. A survey will soon be released, but it deals with adult readers.
At the same time, I can tell you that almost all of our members have youth projects on the go, whether it is a student publication, a partnership with the school board or agreements with Canadian Parents for French. Indeed, rare are those that do not make an attempt in that area. It is a challenge, in the sense that 14 year olds are not necessarily interested in reading articles about municipal zoning.
Conservative
Bernard Trottier Conservative Etobicoke—Lakeshore, ON
And, in your opinion, what age group corresponds to youth? Is it 18, 25?
Executive Director, Association de la presse francophone
I would say it is gradual. We discovered that the people who read our local newspapers tend to invest in their community and that homeowners were more likely to read the local newspaper because that reality affected them more. In terms of when someone becomes a regular newspaper reader, that varies.
NDP
Élaine Michaud NDP Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC
Thank you for being with us today.
I would like to briefly return to what my colleague, Mr. Godin, was saying about development of the Roadmap for Canada's linguistic duality.
You established certain projects and priorities. Did you have an opportunity to present those projects and priorities to the government when the Roadmap we are currently reviewing was initially developed?
Executive Director, Association de la presse francophone
There were a number of consultations, including about everything having to do with the Summit of Francophone and Acadian Communities. We were expecting the government to take inspiration from that to develop its Roadmap. I believe Mr. Lord held consultations at that time. We made our views known then. That led to one reference to the media in the Roadmap. In other words, we did have an opportunity to express ourselves, but we did not secure all the desired results.
Élaine Michaud NDP Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC
I guess I could ask you the same question, Ms. Ryan.
Member of the Board of Directors, Editor, West Quebec Post, Quebec Community Newspapers Association
I'm certain that we were involved in those same discussions around programming.
NDP
Élaine Michaud NDP Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC
You mentioned that the same funding formula would apply to all media, whatever their circumstances. And yet it is quite clear that the circumstances are not the same in every region.
My question is more specifically addressed to the ARC of Canada.
Could you give us an overview of the situation as regards community radio stations in Canada, and tell us whether specific regional needs should be targeted in the next Roadmap?
Secretary General, Alliance des radios communautaires du Canada
Needs are not specifically associated with either small or large markets: they are the same, whether we are talking about Shediac, in New Brunswick, where things are going well, or in Yellowknife, where the station has only one half-employee and is very dire straights.
In fact, our large radio stations serve to support the small ones. If they do not develop new content and news expertise, the entire system suffers. Whether the station is large or small the needs are the same. They all need money. Things are tough in our communities. They receive funding requests from everyone. As you know, there is limited f money available to be invested in causes. And, when we have to compete with cancer societies or the scouts, we are pretty far down on the list when it comes to donations.
We told you that funding campaigns are more and more difficult, and that is true. The fact of being a large or small station changes nothing. The needs are the same.
Development and Communications Officer, Alliance des radios communautaires du Canada
A little earlier, Mr. Côté talked about stations where things are going better. Some will say that most of them are located in New Brunswick. However, they have greater weight on their shoulders because of their circumstances. Indeed they will have to provide training to small stations that are a little more… They will have to support them in terms of training volunteers. They will also have to fulfill their needs in items of programming.
We were talking earlier about a national programming exchange server that all communities would contribute to. Of course, the larger stations carry more of the weight, because they are doing better. Even when they are better off—if you can put it that way—they still support the relative weight of their circumstances, which is probably less than what is felt in Rivière-la-Paix or Gravelbourg. It may sound strange to put it that way, but that's the way it is.
NDP
Élaine Michaud NDP Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC
You say that youth are your priority. Is there a specific measure or program that you would like to see in the next Roadmap for Canada's Linguistic Duality, with a view to getting young people a little bit more involved in your programming or in the operations of your radio or television stations?
Executive Director, Association de la presse francophone
We develop projects. I will give you an example. We are trying to launch initiatives to support the student press in minority francophone universities and colleges. We are discovering that it's really complicated, because there is a major problem of continuity among the stakeholders, given that they have no money. Yet we don't have enough to pay for everything for them or to provide ongoing mentorship to that sector.
That is only one example I'm giving.
NDP
Élaine Michaud NDP Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC
As I understand it, your priority is recurring funding. Correct?
Executive Director, Association de la presse francophone
Yes, recurring funding is always more attractive than one-time grant. It is rare for a problem to be resolved in one year.
Conservative
John Weston Conservative West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast—Sea to Sky Country, BC
Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and I would like to thank our witnesses today.
This is a very interesting conversation that involves a number of dimensions. There is the matter of the distribution of government revenues and trends in the media, newspapers and radio.
I am the member of Parliament for West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast—Sea to Sky Country. That is where the Winter Olympic Games we talked about earlier were held. In my opinion, there is no community radio station in the second language in British Columbia. It is possible that CBC or Radio-Canada are providing the equivalent of community radio in Quebec, conceptually at least.
We obviously have community newspapers. Today, it is my honour to be meeting with a representative of a national community newspaper association. I imagine he will ask me the same question you just did.
I believe people are really confusing two issues. There is the matter of equality. Mr. Godin asked whether we were given advice. I believe that is somewhat related to justice and equality. Is the government sharing its revenue equitably?
The second issue has to do with how the government could communicate more effectively. I put the question to you, Ms. Ryan: what is your focus?
Is it the fairness of government spending?
Is it the effectiveness of the government's messaging?
Member of the Board of Directors, Editor, West Quebec Post, Quebec Community Newspapers Association
First of all, you're lucky to come from an area with such a healthy community newspaper environment. The newspapers there are doing very well, and all regions of Canada have a lot to learn from the Sunshine Coast newspaper industry.
Conservative
John Weston Conservative West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast—Sea to Sky Country, BC
I will tell them that.
I'll tell them your message.
