Evidence of meeting #40 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 consultations.
A recording is available from Parliament.
9:15 a.m.
Conservative
9:15 a.m.
Conservative
James Moore Conservative Port Moody—Westwood—Port Coquitlam, BC
It's healthy and well. I was looking at a statistic the other day, actually, and in 1976, the year I was born, 0.3% of British Columbia kids were enrolled in French immersion. Today it's almost 11%. That I think is considerable progress and success.
When you go into these classrooms.... I have been to my sister's classroom, for example. She teaches at Aubrey Elementary School in Burnaby, right across from Kensington Pitch and Putt. It's this phenomenally communitarian, great little public school. You go into the classroom and....
By the way, three-quarters of the students there are first- and second-generation Canadians. When Graham Fraser, the Commissioner of Official Languages, was out in Vancouver during the Olympics, I brought him to Maillardville. It was fantastic. We stood there and we saw.... We had this great choir from a couple of elementary schools. They were singing O Canada. Of the entire group of kids, it was the most ethnically diverse groups of kids you've ever seen.
I guarantee you that a majority of those kids' parents are first-generation Canadians, many of whom I suspect are struggling to learn their first official language, and these kids are up there singing the national anthem entirely in French.
We have these examples all across the country. It's great.
9:15 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Michael Chong
Thank you, Minister.
I know you're a graduate of the French immersion program. I have two children in French immersion, and they know the national anthem only in French.
9:15 a.m.
Voices
Oh, oh!
9:15 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Michael Chong
We realized that the other day when we were singing it. They didn't know the words in English.
Madame Michaud.
9:15 a.m.
NDP
Élaine Michaud NDP Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Allow me to first make a brief comment.
If the minister had allowed us to complete the study on the North which had been undertaken by this committee, he could have seen that the costs of implementing programs like those of Destination Canada are much higher in those territories. The $600,000 reduction could jeopardize the whole program. That would be a substantial savings, but it would be very regrettable for northern communities, given that the program was effective.
Regarding accountability, a number of witnesses told us they detected very serious anomalies in investments by the federal government, notably concerning the transfers to the provinces and territories you mentioned.
Can you tell me when the last national audit on government investments in official languages was conducted? I would ask you to be brief, please.
9:15 a.m.
Conservative
James Moore Conservative Port Moody—Westwood—Port Coquitlam, BC
I will ask Mr. Jean to answer your question.
9:15 a.m.
Daniel Jean Deputy Minister, Department of Canadian Heritage
Within our agreements with the provinces and territories as well as with community groups, we always have objectives. They have obligations and they must send reports. We receive them regularly. For example, our provincial and territorial agreements have objectives. There are specific numbers.
9:15 a.m.
Deputy Minister, Department of Canadian Heritage
I don't have that information with me. I don't know if Hubert has it, but otherwise I would be pleased to send it to you.
9:15 a.m.
NDP
Élaine Michaud NDP Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC
I would now like to give the floor to my colleague Mr. Benskin.
9:15 a.m.
NDP
Tyrone Benskin NDP Jeanne-Le Ber, QC
Thank you.
Thank you for coming in and joining us. It's good to see you in this different context.
Speaking of different context, I'm looking at a notice of motion here to start a study on the sesquicentennial. I'm a bit confused, because I just came off the heritage committee. At heritage we studied pretty well for the year, I think up until almost last week, the 150th anniversary of Canada.
Largely at our behest, a number of groups came in representing the francophone community across the country as well as diverse communities across the country, which we had to push for to have come in as witnesses.
I'm wondering why we need a separate study, especially since it's under the same minister, on the same subject in this committee.
9:20 a.m.
Conservative
James Moore Conservative Port Moody—Westwood—Port Coquitlam, BC
There are a couple things here.
First, congratulations on your new assignment.
9:20 a.m.
Conservative
James Moore Conservative Port Moody—Westwood—Port Coquitlam, BC
I thought you did a great job, by the way, as heritage critic. Thank you as well...you don't have to do it, but your involvement in the all-party arts caucus. I think that's fantastic.
Second, it's up to you to decide. I'm not a member of this committee. You guys can decide to study whatever it is you want.
But this is also kind of a circumstance where you're damned if you do, damned if you don't. If we weren't engaging the official language committee on a specific study with regard to Canada's 150th birthday, I suspect I might be before this committee right now and there might be members of your caucus saying, “How can you, as Minister of Official Languages, plan the 150th celebration of this country and not include a study by the official languages committee?”
So you're damned if you do, damned if you don't. I'll leave it to this committee to decide whether or not it's a good use of your time, but....
Well, maybe I'll just leave it at that.
9:20 a.m.
Conservative
9:20 a.m.
NDP
Pierre Dionne Labelle NDP Rivière-du-Nord, QC
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I agree with Mr. Gourde. I like to watch you on television.
You went on Tout le monde en parle and you said that Canadian Heritage had too many public servants and that you would cut 42% of staff. Furthermore, I have here the statistics on the recommendations of the Commissioner of Official Languages that highlight the fact that 82% of them have not been implemented. When you say that Canadian Heritage has too many employees, but you see that 82% of the recommendations of the Commissioner of Official Languages have not been implemented, in my opinion, something does not add up.
The questions I will ask you will be simple. Cuts have been announced. How many positions will be eliminated within the Official Languages Support Program at Canadian Heritage? In addition, can you send us the list of employees who work full time in the area of official languages within this department?
9:20 a.m.
Conservative
James Moore Conservative Port Moody—Westwood—Port Coquitlam, BC
My deputy minister is directly responsible on the ground, not only for the next few years, but he also has been for a number of years. I will therefore ask him to provide that information to you.
9:20 a.m.
Deputy Minister, Department of Canadian Heritage
If we start, for example, with the 42% reduction in Canadian Heritage's operating budget, this was done over the past three years and will continue over the next three years. These reductions include both reductions in permanent resources and the end...
9:20 a.m.
NDP
Pierre Dionne Labelle NDP Rivière-du-Nord, QC
Could I have the list of the resources that will be eliminated?
9:20 a.m.
Deputy Minister, Department of Canadian Heritage
It will be our pleasure to send them to you.
9:20 a.m.
NDP
Pierre Dionne Labelle NDP Rivière-du-Nord, QC
How will you follow up on the 82% of the Commissioner of Official Languages' recommendations that have not been implemented if you cut staff? That seems strange to me, and it must also be the case for Canadians who are listening to us.
9:20 a.m.
Conservative
James Moore Conservative Port Moody—Westwood—Port Coquitlam, BC
We heard your question and my deputy minister was in the middle of his answer. Could he perhaps finish?
9:20 a.m.
Deputy Minister, Department of Canadian Heritage
As I was saying, the 42% decrease takes place over a six-year period, going back three years and going forward for three years. Within that percentage, there are permanent reductions and the ending of so-called temporary initiatives. Two examples would be the Vancouver Olympics and the Shanghai Expo. There were also resources transferred to other departments, for example, the consolidation of shared services. One has to be careful since the 42% includes all of that.
If we are talking about permanent resources for which I have a more specific number, that would be around one third of these. In all the choices we have made, whether that be transforming or centralizing priorities, we ensured there would be no major significant repercussions on client service. Not one dollar was cut from programs.
Finally, with respect to official languages, we went about it the same way. The positions we plan to eliminate from official languages are management positions we will be eliminating, while consolidating responsibilities and protecting the program's administrative resources. Once again, we wish to maintain our service standards for the recipients of these programs and ensure clients do not see a difference. The reason for which...