Official Languages Committee on Nov. 29th, 2011

[Dan Harris, NDP, Scarborough Southwest, ON]

Well, I think you've actually brought more to light than would have otherwise been perhaps known.

[The Chair, Conservative, Michael Chong]

No, I'm trying to be consistent here. We're skirting the line very closely, and I don't want to have this committee—

[Dan Harris, NDP, Scarborough Southwest, ON]

And I believe I'm on the right side of the line.

[The Chair, Conservative, Michael Chong]

I haven't said you weren't. I'm just reiterating the rules of the committee.

It's an important thing. I've allowed a lot of latitude in debate. I just want to reiterate that what goes on in camera remains in camera. Members should not make reference to how members voted or debated or took positions in that portion.

[Dan Harris, NDP, Scarborough Southwest, ON]

It's a simple fact of math.

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

Why do we sit in camera now more often than we used to?

[The Chair, Conservative, Michael Chong]

That is a decision of the committee, and it's not up to the chair or frankly any other member to comment on other members' decisions. It's a collective of 12 members.

This committee has 12 members. If one of us wants to vote for or against a motion, he's entitled to do so.

It's their choice. It's not for me to comment on how members vote; it's not for other members to comment on how other members vote. I just caution members to not comment on what positions members have taken in an in camera portion of a meeting.

I'll give you back the floor. I'm sorry for interrupting.

[Dan Harris, NDP, Scarborough Southwest, ON]

I'll accept that interruption, because actually I think it brought more information to light than anyone was expecting. I wasn't going to get into that.

I've lost track of my ideas. My next question is for the CCCM.

How would you like to be included in the next Roadmap? What type of actions do you think you can carry out if you are included in the next Roadmap?

[Brigitte Gagné]

In fact, if the next Roadmap is able to acknowledge cooperative economic development as an important player in the communities, that will enable the cooperative movement to position itself better and to provide considerable assistance in the case of requests that we receive from our communities.

[Melvin Doiron]

We hope that a portion of the budget can be granted to us for this community assistance function, using or hoping to use the cooperative model to develop their businesses, keep them active, or take over those that have not been taken over by the conventional private sector, in view of the fact that there is currently no succession.

[Dan Harris, NDP, Scarborough Southwest, ON]

How much time do I have left?

[The Chair, Conservative, Michael Chong]

You have no time at your disposal.

Thank you, Mr. Harris and Mr. Doiron.

I will now hand over to Mr. Lauzon, but, first, Mr. Bélanger has advised me that he will not be introducing his two motions. We therefore have 15 more minutes for questions and comments.

[Guy Lauzon, Conservative, Stormont—Dundas—South Glengarry, ON]

May I have those 15 minutes?

[The Chair, Conservative, Michael Chong]

Oh, oh! No.

You have the floor for this round, Mr. Lauzon.

[Guy Lauzon, Conservative, Stormont—Dundas—South Glengarry, ON]

Welcome to our guests. Pardon me for being late; the traffic was terrible.

I heard all the witnesses say that the Roadmap should include more investment to improve the situation of francophones. As you know, our government's priority is the economy and job creation. So if we want to encourage the government to invest more, perhaps we have to talk about our success stories that have made it possible to create jobs and to stimulate the economy for francophones.

Can you give us any examples of situations in which the Roadmap has made it possible to create jobs or to stimulate the economy, particularly for francophones, since the Roadmap is supposed to assist francophones? Do you have any examples of investments that have been profitable?

I would like an answer from all the witnesses, if possible.

[Jean-Marie Nadeau]

I would say that it's on a number of levels.

[Guy Lauzon, Conservative, Stormont—Dundas—South Glengarry, ON]

I would like you to give us some concrete examples. If you have a success story, we would definitely like to hear it.

[Jean-Marie Nadeau]

I've just attended the Festival international du cinéma francophone en Acadie. We just attended the FrancoFête en Acadie. Look at the list of Acadian artists who are currently appearing on the national stage. For example, on a program such as Star Académie, probably five of the 14 young people are Acadian.

Why can they occupy those kinds of positions? Artists create jobs and have an economic impact. Film-making also has an economic impact. In artistic terms, the mere fact that Acadians can now make films makes young people want to follow in their footsteps. This pride makes them want to do it in French.

I mentioned the Conseil économique du Nouveau-Brunswick. Twenty years ago, we would never have been able to get 600 or 700 business people into the same room to celebrate economic development in French. That's possible today thanks to the investments that have been made in recent years. That's job creation. Those entrepreneurs themselves are creating jobs.

I don't know how many examples you want.

[Guy Lauzon, Conservative, Stormont—Dundas—South Glengarry, ON]

If the other witnesses have more concrete examples, I would like to hear them.

[Brigitte Gagné]

I mentioned the problem at the outset, but perhaps I can give you a few ideas.

The little program we have with the Department of Agriculture and Agri-Food represents approximately $3.75 million a year. That includes consulting services, cooperative development and research programs, and so on.

Last year, 64 official partnerships were established in the provincial associations, which took advantage of them. There were also 90 unofficial partnerships established, either for sectoral expertise, as Mr. Doiron said earlier, for example, when we need very specific expertise, or for technical support or research expertise, with various collaborative relationships with universities, for example. In addition, 65 cooperatives were established under that program in 2010-2011, and more than 570 groups received assistance for extension, consolidation or governance.

[A voice]

Jobs.

[Brigittte Gagné]

Jobs.

[The Chair, Conservative, Michael Chong]

Thank you.

Please ask your question briefly.

[Guy Lauzon, Conservative, Stormont—Dundas—South Glengarry, ON]

Ms. Hamelin, you haven't spoken yet. Would you have an example to give us?

[Marthe Hamelin]

Pardon me?