Official Languages Committee on Nov. 29th, 2011

[Melvin Doiron, Administrator, Board of Directors, Director General of the Coopérative de développement régional – Acadie ltée, Conseil canadien de la coopération et de la mutualité]

The Canadian Federation of Independent Business has noted that, by 2020, 20,000 businesses will be on the market. Half of them will find no takers. That's obviously an incredible opportunity. It also means there will be a crisis downstream. The cooperative movement can play a considerable role. That's particularly true for the worker cooperative model and for the model of cooperatives run by worker shareholders who gradually acquire shares in the private company.

We are seeing an incredible opportunity in New Brunswick and across the country. And we need improved tools to seize that opportunity or to deal with the problem. Including cooperatives in the Roadmap is a very important option in that regard. We believe it should be given serious consideration.

The work we do when we help groups set up cooperative projects is crucial. There are increasing numbers of requests related to work cooperation, that is to say jobs. On that basis, I believe we must consider this option on an urgent basis. In fact, it's more than an option; it's an advanced model. In the past, cooperatives have been of enormous service to our communities. If we consider the increasing numbers of demands coming from our assistance offices, we realize it is both a model for the future and a model that is in increasing demand, particularly among minority communities.

[Jacques Gourde, Conservative, Lotbinière—Chutes-de-la-Chaudière, QC]

You mentioned that you need specific tools. What would those tools be?

[Melvin Doiron]

Those tools exist at the national level, at least for some of our requests. In particular, the Cooperative Development Initiative. We are thinking in particular of the Advisory Services component and the Innovative Cooperative Projects component as ways of assisting projects directly.

At the national level, we obviously need a development fund. A request for that is already in the system. We also need the Cooperative Investment Plan to facilitate the capitalization of cooperatives. We know that very significant reserves are built up over time. However, the initial investment is not as easy as in the traditional private sector, where they are built on utility value, which is the value of the service, of the employment and so on.

On that basis, we also need to be equipped directly for advisory services and assistance. The Coopérative de développement régional — Acadie ltée in New Brunswick has a budget of approximately $350,000. It currently has six employees, including two part-time employees. It's a vulnerable team to the extent that we partly depend on the federal program. We receive assistance from our contributors, our cooperative members, but the situation is really precarious.

We view ourselves as a form of economic and community development agency that must be supported by all possible bodies. In our opinion, the Roadmap is a part of that.

[Jacques Gourde, Conservative, Lotbinière—Chutes-de-la-Chaudière, QC]

The cooperative community often offsets the lack of service in communities. When communities become too small, the convenience store, gas station and grocery store disappear in turn. The services are then grouped together in the major centres.

Does your organization make it possible to retain primary services in locations of less than 1,000 inhabitants?

[Melvin Doiron]

I recently attended a national, even international conference organized by the Canadian Worker Co-op Federation and held in Quebec City on the organization of business in accordance with the cooperative model. There were actual, current examples of communities that have taken charge of their situation regarding the loss of services in their respective communities. So the case is quite convincing. We believe that, since our regions are losing their populations, we can maintain services by joining forces. The notion of profit thus becomes less important than that of retaining services in one's community.

[Jacques Gourde, Conservative, Lotbinière—Chutes-de-la-Chaudière, QC]

Do I have a little time left?

[The Chair, Conservative, Michael Chong]

You have three minutes left.

[Jacques Gourde, Conservative, Lotbinière—Chutes-de-la-Chaudière, QC]

My next question is for Mr. Nadeau.

Earlier, before the meeting started, you told me you had trouble keeping people in your region because they were going to work outside the province. Could the cooperative model or another model help you keep your young entrepreneurs in your region so they could develop an entrepreneurial spirit? What would it take to stimulate your young people and encourage them to stay in your region? When young people leave, you very often lose not an entire generation, but sometimes even three.

[Jean-Marie Nadeau]

Thanks to people like Melvin Doiron, new worker cooperatives are emerging. We have success stories. For example, the Lamèque fishing cooperative is one of the biggest cooperatives. A cooperative fish plant is a success story. The Fédération des caisses populaires acadiennes has 200,000 members out of a population of 240,000 inhabitants. That represents a penetration rate of approximately 75%. I believe that's undeniable.

It's true that we are currently facing challenges following the closing of branch offices, but I'm a supporter of the cooperative movement, and the Acadian people have always been supporters. The entire Acadian area of Prince Edward Island is known as one of the world capitals of cooperation. Virtually everything is done in cooperative form. A number of our community radio stations are set up in the form of cooperatives as well. We can almost say that the cooperative movement is in Acadians' genes. I believe the cooperative movement, as Mr. Doiron said, could become a decisive alternative.

Now let's talk about the agricultural plan. I know you're from an agricultural region. We still have good land back home. The thing is simply to reactivate it, to revive it. I believe that will be done more through cooperation. Today, we know it's difficult for a young person to start up a farm, especially in a region like ours. However, there are much more human-scale farm concepts that are re-emerging and that do not require 1,000 acres in order to be profitable. We're seeing that in the Charlevoix region in Quebec. I recently attended a meeting in that region and rural areas are being revitalized.

So, yes, the cooperative movement is definitely a decisive economic development solution for Acadians.

[The Chair, Conservative, Michael Chong]

All right. Thank you.

Mr. Bélanger, go ahead, please.

[Mauril Bélanger, Liberal, Ottawa—Vanier, ON]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. Thank you for being here this morning.

The world recently experienced the Occupy movement which, I think, is a reflection of a considerable uneasiness about developments in our societies. All the statistics, even Canadian statistics, show that the rich are becoming richer and the gap between rich and poor is growing. This morning, after hearing the representatives of the cooperative movement and RDÉE, I want to make a wish. I'm going to ask you to cooperate because I believe the cooperative movement is a long-term solution to that uneasiness.

Yesterday, unfortunately, Parliament abolished a major cooperative in western Canada. The Conservative majority decided to put an end to the Canadian Wheat Board, which was a major blow. In the greater Canadian francophone community, I hope your two organizations can work together. Although this is something I haven't seen in the past, I am nevertheless going to make that wish.

I only have a little speaking time because I only have one opportunity to speak. This morning, I have to settle some administrative matters. Mr. Nadeau raised the topic of immigration. At the committee's last meeting, I said I intended to introduce two motions, which I have done.

The first resolution calls for the committee to adopt again its report on immigration that was prepared during the last Parliament and for which you played a considerable role regarding the situation in New Brunswick. I introduced that motion.

I intended to bring forward those two resolutions, as I said at the public meeting. What was to happen has happened, that is to say that the Conservative majority requested an in camera session. I made that statement during my speaking time. I'm doing the same thing this morning; I am repeating what I said at that time. As the committee meeting continued in camera, I cannot tell you what happened, but I can tell you the result of that in camera meeting: two resolutions were negatived, but I cannot tell you which ones.

[Jean-Marie Nadeau]

You're in form this morning.

[Mauril Bélanger, Liberal, Ottawa—Vanier, ON]

I can also tell you that, before the in camera session, the New Democrats and the Liberal representative said they would vote in favour of the two resolutions that I intended to introduce. However, I cannot tell you what resolutions those were. With regard to the second, I cannot tell you what was put forward.

[The Chair, Conservative, Michael Chong]

Monsieur Bélanger, before I go to the point of order from Mr. Menegakis, I'd just point out that proceedings in camera are confidential and not to be revealed to the public. What happens to a motion in an in camera portion of a meeting is not be revealed, with the exception—

[Mauril Bélanger, Liberal, Ottawa—Vanier, ON]

—of the result.

[The Chair, Conservative, Michael Chong]

—of a motion adopted. So whether a motion is defeated, disposed of, or debate on it is adjourned, it is not to be revealed. Only a positive action on the part of a committee—

[Mauril Bélanger, Liberal, Ottawa—Vanier, ON]

And if there is no positive action?

[The Chair, Conservative, Michael Chong]

—in an in camera portion of the meeting can be revealed.

In other words, anything that's in the meeting minutes published from that portion of the meeting can be revealed; anything else is to be kept confidential.

I just remind members of the committee to remember that rule.

Mr. Bélanger, go ahead, please.

[Costas Menegakis, Conservative, Richmond Hill, ON]

That was my point of order. Thank you.

[Mauril Bélanger, Liberal, Ottawa—Vanier, ON]

I can't tell you the fate of the resolution, as you can see. We're all learning.

I had intended to bring forward another resolution this morning. In the absence of one of the members of the government party, I will not do so. The resolution proposed that the committee ask the headhunter—I suppose that isn't the right term—at the recruitment agency that had responsibility, the mandate—

[The Chair, Conservative, Michael Chong]

Menegakis has a point of order.

[Mauril Bélanger, Liberal, Ottawa—Vanier, ON]

Will I always be interrupted?

[Costas Menegakis, Conservative, Richmond Hill, ON]

On a point of order, Mr. Chairman, the honourable member is referring to.... He's trying to bring motions that are committee business to be discussed with our guests here today. It is not relevant to the presentation of the guests whatsoever. I believe he is using his time to discuss things that are committee business, which we customarily discuss in camera here.

[Mauril Bélanger, Liberal, Ottawa—Vanier, ON]

Customarily?

[Costas Menegakis, Conservative, Richmond Hill, ON]

Yes, customarily.