Official Languages Committee on May 3rd, 2012

[The Chair, Conservative, Michael Chong]

Thank you, Mr. Gourde.

Mr. Dion, you have the floor.

[Stéphane Dion, Liberal, Saint-Laurent—Cartierville, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair. How many minutes do I have?

[The Chair, Conservative, Michael Chong]

You have seven minutes.

[Stéphane Dion, Liberal, Saint-Laurent—Cartierville, QC]

Minister, I have four or five questions for you. I promise to be brief, but I would like you to answer them directly without too many explanations.

First of all, I understand from your comments that the impression left, perhaps involuntarily, by the senior director of the Secretariat of Official Languages, Mr. Gauthier, that the only official consultations on the next Roadmap were undertaken by this committee, was unfounded. You do plan to have official consultations within your department, isn't that so?

[James Moore, Conservative, Port Moody—Westwood—Port Coquitlam, BC]

Yes, we are doing so this summer.

[Stéphane Dion, Liberal, Saint-Laurent—Cartierville, QC]

All right. That is one misunderstanding cleared up. That is good.

During our February 16 meeting, my colleague Mr. Bélanger, questioned Mr. Léry, the Acting Director General of Support Programs for Official Languages, about the Action Plan that preceded the Roadmap. The goal was to double the number or percentage of youths learning the other language. Another goal was to increase the enrolment rates among rights-holders from 60% to 80%. Mr. Déry responded that those were good questions, but that he did not have the data with him and that he did not believe the number had doubled.

Are you able to provide us with those numbers today? If not, could you send them to the committee later on?

[James Moore, Conservative, Port Moody—Westwood—Port Coquitlam, BC]

You should know those numbers since the former Roadmap was your own.

[Stéphane Dion, Liberal, Saint-Laurent—Cartierville, QC]

The objective yes but the results have to come from you.

[James Moore, Conservative, Port Moody—Westwood—Port Coquitlam, BC]

Precisely.

For the next Roadmap, we will try to set the goal of doubling the number of youths who commit to these things, but the current Roadmap does not have that grand objective.

[Stéphane Dion, Liberal, Saint-Laurent—Cartierville, QC]

Here's my question; what is the situation today? Earlier, you gave us a long list of programs and exchanges. All very well, all the ministers do that. But, at a certain point, citizens wish to know results, for example, with respect to the struggle against assimilation. You must have some statistics about these two goals. It would be good for the committee to receive them so we can see how much progress has been made.

[James Moore, Conservative, Port Moody—Westwood—Port Coquitlam, BC]

The evaluations are taking place and they will certainly be part of our next Roadmap since it is essential to understand what is going on in the field. The progress I mentioned is what we know so far. As you know, with such an important commitment, we sometimes see unexpected progress.

[Stéphane Dion, Liberal, Saint-Laurent—Cartierville, QC]

All I want to know is the number of youths and the percentage of rights-holders. This information would help us better understand the situation.

[James Moore, Conservative, Port Moody—Westwood—Port Coquitlam, BC]

The evaluations are coming along.

[Stéphane Dion, Liberal, Saint-Laurent—Cartierville, QC]

I am not requesting an evaluation, I am asking for specific numbers.

[James Moore, Conservative, Port Moody—Westwood—Port Coquitlam, BC]

Evaluations contain statistics.

[Stéphane Dion, Liberal, Saint-Laurent—Cartierville, QC]

I am looking forward to receiving them. Could we get them soon? You have them, so could you provide them to us?

[James Moore, Conservative, Port Moody—Westwood—Port Coquitlam, BC]

Yes, but we're talking about 32 areas, in 15 departments, and we will be receiving—

[Stéphane Dion, Liberal, Saint-Laurent—Cartierville, QC]

I am only requesting information on 2 criteria, not 32. It should take less time.

[James Moore, Conservative, Port Moody—Westwood—Port Coquitlam, BC]

Yes, I know, but they are all included.

[Stéphane Dion, Liberal, Saint-Laurent—Cartierville, QC]

If I receive 32, all the better, but I would not want to have to wait 6 months. I would like to receive them next week, if possible.

[James Moore, Conservative, Port Moody—Westwood—Port Coquitlam, BC]

I realize this is your first meeting on this issue. Our evaluations are ongoing and they will include those numbers.

[Stéphane Dion, Liberal, Saint-Laurent—Cartierville, QC]

Then, when will we receive them?

[James Moore, Conservative, Port Moody—Westwood—Port Coquitlam, BC]

Soon.

[Stéphane Dion, Liberal, Saint-Laurent—Cartierville, QC]

Your colleague, Mr. Valcourt, recently met with people from the Centre scolaire et communautaire des Grands-Vents, and that's a good thing. However, his comments caused them great concern, because he told them, and I quote, "an envelope that unfortunately will probably be smaller". Is that correct?

[James Moore, Conservative, Port Moody—Westwood—Port Coquitlam, BC]

We have not yet made a decision on that. That is why we are consulting.