Evidence of meeting #37 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 research.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Researcher, Canadian Institute for Research on Linguistic Minorities
Early childhood is the hobby horse of Rodrigue Landry, Executive Director of the Canadian Institute of Research on Linguistic Minorities. He has previously submitted a document to the committee because he was supposed to come in December. That document presents his entire argument and discusses the need to invest in early childhood infrastructure. If we merely invest for parents but do not build day care centres, and do not offer early childhood services, there is a risk of assimilation. You have to give parents the choice to send their children to French-language day care centres.
Conservative
Jacques Gourde Conservative Lotbinière—Chutes-de-la-Chaudière, QC
In closing, I would like to know one thing. Do workers arriving in Canada have young families, or are they individual workers who go back and get their families a few years later? We are putting a lot of energy into establishing day care centres, but how many young families settle with their own children and need those day care centres now?
Director, Board of Directors, Association des francophones du Nunavut
I can't give you the exact figures. I'm a taxi driver in Iqaluit. So I can take the pulse of what is going on in town, among all the inhabitants. That's already the reality. For example, a construction worker sees a good opportunity and comes to work in our region. Six months later, he moves in with his family and then, seeing the reality, does an about-face.
Executive Director, Fédération franco-ténoise
One of the questions we were asked at an interview is whether there is a French-language day care centre. That is one of their questions. If there isn't one, they do not come.
Conservative
Jacques Gourde Conservative Lotbinière—Chutes-de-la-Chaudière, QC
Are there any other comments? There are 30 second left.
Director General, Fédération des francophones de Terre-Neuve et du Labrador
That is absolutely one of the criteria in Newfoundland and Labrador. Economic growth is making a lot of families come and settle in St. John's as a result of the oil industry. I myself am an example of that. That was one of my criteria before I moved to Newfoundland and Labrador. I already have a child.
Conservative
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Michael Chong
Thank you, Mr. Gourde.
Thanks to our witnesses.
The meeting is adjourned.