Official Languages Committee on March 29th, 2012

Evidence of meeting #34 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 education.

A recording is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

Evaluation of the Roadmap: Improving Programs and Service Delivery

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Yves Saint-Maurice President, Association canadienne d'éducation de langue française

Paul Taillefer President, Canadian Teachers' Federation

Richard Lacombe Director General, Association canadienne d'éducation de langue française

Ronald Boudreau Director, Services to Francophones, Canadian Teachers' Federation

Caroline Turnbull Vice-President, Canadian Association of Second Language Teachers

Philippe LeDorze President, Canadian Association of Immersion Teachers

Hilaire Lemoine Treasurer, Canadian Association of Second Language Teachers

Chantal Bourbonnais Director General, Canadian Association of Immersion Teachers

10:40 a.m.

Vice-President, Canadian Association of Second Language Teachers

Caroline Turnbull

I can see both sides of the issue. On the one hand, if children keep their mother tongue in order to acquire basic literacy skills in their first language, it can help them to develop skills in the second language starting in grade 3. However, it is preferable for a true immersion program to start in grade 1. As a professional in second-language teaching, I feel that languages can be acquired at any age.

10:40 a.m.

NDP

Yvon Godin NDP Acadie—Bathurst, NB

You can do it at 80, but that is not what I mean. I am talking about the education system.

What do you think, sir?

10:40 a.m.

President, Canadian Association of Immersion Teachers

Philippe LeDorze

When it happened, CAIT come out strongly against the Government of New Brunswick's action.

You have to realize that there are two parts to the issue. Of course, it is better to start learning French young. The younger the better. But an immersion program must not become elitist. It must not be a two-tiered program, with all the good students in immersion while everyone else is in the other program. When that happens, the immersion program is in jeopardy. That is unfortunately what happened in your province.

10:40 a.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Michael Chong

Thank you.

10:40 a.m.

NDP

Yvon Godin NDP Acadie—Bathurst, NB

I am done already? How time flies.

10:40 a.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Michael Chong

I have one comment.

Next week, Tuesday, we have three groups in front of us: the English Language Arts Network, the Québec English School Boards Association, and the Townshippers' Association.

For our meeting next week, I have set aside 15 minutes to discuss a plan for a draft report. Our analyst, Ms. Lecomte, has asked me to gather opinions from committee members about the structure they would like the report to have.

Come prepared to give your opinions on the outline that has been distributed to you. It's a confidential document, so please treat it as such.

I would like to thank our witnesses for their testimony.

Without further ado, this meeting is adjourned.