Official Languages Committee on March 8th, 2012

[Dan Harris, NDP, Scarborough Southwest, ON]

Yes, the main estimates are showing $24.6 million in cuts.

[Dr. Danial Wayner]

Right. I'm not privy to exactly what the impact would be on NRC.

We're certainly waiting for the government to come forward with a budget, and all that will be clear at that time. I really can't comment—

[Dan Harris, NDP, Scarborough Southwest, ON]

That is specifically in the NRC funding where that cut is coming.

[Dr. Danial Wayner]

Depending on where these come from, this may reflect in part the B-based funding we've received from previous programs that is coming to an end at the end of this fiscal year. If that is not renewed, that presents a challenge, not just for ICT but from the NRC perspective. Our objective is to look carefully at all the investments we make across all industry sectors and to ensure we're investing the resources we have in such a way that it creates the greatest benefits for Canada.

It's a fairly general answer, but from our perspective, as we move forward as a new research and technology organization, we expect to be led by the needs of industry. Where we see opportunities that industry is pulling...NRC will see this as opportunity.

Specifically in terms of what we need, that's also a difficult question to answer. We're actually at the point of looking carefully across the board at all of our programs. I'm very excited about the initiative we've created and the team we've built that is really world class.

It's my expectation that we would find ways to leverage this to create more and more value for Canadians. With regard to the kinds of investments, I'm not prepared at this time to give a number. The team right now is about 15 people, and the budget we have is a little more than the $2 million per year because we've leveraged resources from other places as well.

[The Chair, Conservative, Michael Chong]

Thank you very much.

Mr. Menegakis.

[Costas Menegakis, Conservative, Richmond Hill, ON]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you for coming to testify before us today. As you know, we are studying the Roadmap for Canada's Linguistic Duality. It represents an investment of more than $1 billion for our government. Under the roadmap, your organizations are all partners. It was very interesting to hear about the many possibilities that the roadmap represents for your organizations.

Could you tell us the areas or programs you would focus on under the roadmap if it were to be renewed after it expires in 2013?

Mr. Watson?

[Daniel Watson]

Thank you.

If there were ever a second component, we would continue the activities consistent with our mandate, which is the economic development and diversification of western Canada. I believe we would do that based on the successes we are currently having.

We would of course take into account the findings of an eventual evaluation in that area. The fact remains that the thrust would be that of our mandate, which is economic development.

[Costas Menegakis, Conservative, Richmond Hill, ON]

Mr. Lavoie?

[Jean-Pierre Lavoie]

Thank you.

The roadmap has enabled us to step up our support for the vitality of francophone communities. Like our colleagues from Western Economic Diversification, we would stay the course if the roadmap were renewed. We would continue implementing projects consistent with our economic development mandate to support the communities, as we have been doing for many years.

[Dr. Danial Wayner]

Even as we speak we continue to negotiate to license the PORTAGE software to other Canadian firms. I think it's critical for us to continue to invest and grow this sector in Canada. It forms the base for a multitude of other economic growth possibilities for Canada that we very much want to pursue.

[Costas Menegakis, Conservative, Richmond Hill, ON]

Would you say that the road map has presented you with the ability to do that better than before you had the road map?

[Dr. Danial Wayner]

Absolutely. The road map gave us the tools and resources to grow this world-class team. It's something we should treasure, encourage, and keep moving along.

[Costas Menegakis, Conservative, Richmond Hill, ON]

It's important for us to assess your experiences, because we're 60% through the term of the road map now.

Do I have some more time, Mr. Chair?

[The Chair, Conservative, Michael Chong]

Yes.

[Costas Menegakis, Conservative, Richmond Hill, ON]

Mr. Watson, you mentioned the important work done by the four francophone economic organizations.

Has the roadmap been useful in facilitating communication with those organizations?

[Daniel Watson]

We work in very close cooperation with those organizations, which are an integral part of our service network in the west. We were already talking about those people. We knew that they had a lot of skills and competencies. That added an important component. It wouldn't have been possible to do what we did in Vancouver without that kind of support. If other funding were available, we would continue finding things to add to what we have already done.

[Costas Menegakis, Conservative, Richmond Hill, ON]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Conservative, Michael Chong]

Thank you, Mr. Menegakis.

Mr. Aubin.

Pardon me, there is a point of order.

Mr. Bélanger?

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

I was misled on the subject of the site we were talking about, that of the Canadian Astronomy Data Centre. Mr. Aubin was right. If you look at the sub-archives, you see that most are in English. Some are in French, but, even though the titles "Archives du HST" and "Archives scientifiques du Gemini" are posted, when you enter the site, you see that it is in English only.

I want to apologize to Mr. Aubin and to retract the kind words I said to the people from the National Research Council. They still have some homework to do.

[The Chair, Conservative, Michael Chong]

Thank you, Mr. Bélanger.

In fact, that was not a point of order.

Mr. Aubin.

[Robert Aubin, NDP, Trois-Rivières, QC]

I want to hand the floor over to Mr. Godin since the purpose of the remarks I was preparing to make was to point out that the titles were French but that the vast majority of content was in English. As I have been told on the subject that the people concerned would be doing the homework, all that's left for us to do is to await the results.

[The Chair, Conservative, Michael Chong]

All right.

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

My question is simple. I only have a minute left, I believe.

[The Chair, Conservative, Michael Chong]

You have two minutes left.

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

Mr. Watson, you know that I raised the problem of Alberta. As you say, I understand that the bilingualism of private businesses is not your responsibility. I know it is the responsibility of another department, no doubt the Department of Human Resources.

However, I met with the people from the Alberta Economic Development Authority. Have you met those people? Have you heard the demands of the other small organizations in the surrounding areas that say they do not feel that supported? One would think they only have one place to go and that is not easy to do so. And yet there is really some potential. You will increasingly have Francophones in the west.