Evidence of meeting #29 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 industry.

A recording is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Michel Robillard  Vice-President, Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency
Mitch Davies  sous-ministre adjoint intérimaire, Opérations régionales, ministère de l'Industrie
Lisa Setlakwe  Director General, Regional Policy and Coordination Branch, Department of Industry
Lucie Lecomte  Committee Researcher
Aime Dimatteo  Director General, FedNor (Federal Economic Development Initiative in Northern Ontario), Department of Industry

9:10 a.m.

NDP

Yvon Godin NDP Acadie—Bathurst, NB

Where does the $20 million come from, then?

9:10 a.m.

sous-ministre adjoint intérimaire, Opérations régionales, ministère de l'Industrie

Mitch Davies

The $30.5 million figure is the economic development initiative for all the regional agencies and Industry Canada. It's the entire budget.

9:10 a.m.

NDP

Yvon Godin NDP Acadie—Bathurst, NB

It isn't for the roadmap and bilingualism?

9:10 a.m.

sous-ministre adjoint intérimaire, Opérations régionales, ministère de l'Industrie

Mitch Davies

It's partly for that. The economic development part of the roadmap is $30.5 million.

9:10 a.m.

NDP

Yvon Godin NDP Acadie—Bathurst, NB

What portion of that $30.5 million is allocated to official languages?

9:10 a.m.

Director General, Regional Policy and Coordination Branch, Department of Industry

Lisa Setlakwe

It's all…

9:10 a.m.

sous-ministre adjoint intérimaire, Opérations régionales, ministère de l'Industrie

Mitch Davies

All the funding is available for official languages.

9:10 a.m.

Director General, Regional Policy and Coordination Branch, Department of Industry

Lisa Setlakwe

The economic development initiative is a component of the roadmap. It is allocated among the regional development agencies and Industry Canada.

9:10 a.m.

NDP

Yvon Godin NDP Acadie—Bathurst, NB

However, the roadmap states $10.9 million, but your report refers to $30.5 million.

9:10 a.m.

Director General, Regional Policy and Coordination Branch, Department of Industry

Lisa Setlakwe

I'll have to look and see exactly how the $10.9 million is allocated, but FedNor has $4 million and Industry Canada headquarters has $1.6 million—

9:10 a.m.

NDP

Yvon Godin NDP Acadie—Bathurst, NB

Can you sort that out and send it to the committee tomorrow?

9:10 a.m.

Director General, Regional Policy and Coordination Branch, Department of Industry

Lisa Setlakwe

At one point, what was included in that was FedDev and…

9:10 a.m.

sous-ministre adjoint intérimaire, Opérations régionales, ministère de l'Industrie

Mitch Davies

Can we reconcile the document he referred to with our figures? Definitely.

9:10 a.m.

NDP

Yvon Godin NDP Acadie—Bathurst, NB

That's good. Thank you.

Can you send the final version of your official languages action plan to the committee?

I would also like to have the plan for every sector and all branches.

I would also like to receive the service standards regarding active offer.

Can you also send us your language of work guidelines?

And when was your last internal official language audit?

9:10 a.m.

Director General, Regional Policy and Coordination Branch, Department of Industry

Lisa Setlakwe

We recently conducted an internal audit on part IV, and the commissioner has just completed an audit on part VII. The report will be published this spring.

9:10 a.m.

NDP

Yvon Godin NDP Acadie—Bathurst, NB

Do you know when this spring?

9:10 a.m.

sous-ministre adjoint intérimaire, Opérations régionales, ministère de l'Industrie

Mitch Davies

It's up to the commissioner to decide when he will publish it.

9:10 a.m.

NDP

Yvon Godin NDP Acadie—Bathurst, NB

You're talking about the Commissioner of Official Languages.

9:10 a.m.

sous-ministre adjoint intérimaire, Opérations régionales, ministère de l'Industrie

Mitch Davies

Yes. That's correct.

9:10 a.m.

NDP

Yvon Godin NDP Acadie—Bathurst, NB

What about your internal audit in your own department? You have an internal audit.

9:10 a.m.

sous-ministre adjoint intérimaire, Opérations régionales, ministère de l'Industrie

Mitch Davies

It was conducted last year.

9:10 a.m.

Director General, Regional Policy and Coordination Branch, Department of Industry

Lisa Setlakwe

Yes. I believe it has already been published. We can send it to you all the same.

9:10 a.m.

NDP

Yvon Godin NDP Acadie—Bathurst, NB

You can send a copy to the committee.

9:10 a.m.

sous-ministre adjoint intérimaire, Opérations régionales, ministère de l'Industrie

Mitch Davies

Yes, certainly.

9:10 a.m.

NDP

Yvon Godin NDP Acadie—Bathurst, NB

In your report on section 41, you say excessive use is made of consultations to speak with the official language minority communities.

We met Jean Léger, Executive Director of the Fédération acadienne de la Nouvelle-Écosse. Here's what he says:

For us, one concrete example of this has been the withdrawal of Industry Canada, which was identified in the previous plan, the Action Plan for Official Languages. Industry Canada was working very closely with the community because that department had money from the Action Plan for Official Languages. However, when the money disappeared, the department completely withdrew. Unfortunately, we now have very little contact with Industry Canada in Nova Scotia.