Evidence of meeting #65 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 official.
A video is available from Parliament.
4:40 p.m.
Conservative
James Moore Conservative Port Moody—Westwood—Port Coquitlam, BC
That is true in the case of two-thirds, almost three-quarters. However, one-quarter is made up of extra subsidies, in addition to what we were already doing.
4:40 p.m.
NDP
4:40 p.m.
Conservative
James Moore Conservative Port Moody—Westwood—Port Coquitlam, BC
Yes, but that's not all it is. That was your question.
4:40 p.m.
NDP
Pierre Dionne Labelle NDP Rivière-du-Nord, QC
We see that the funding for the Centre of Excellence for Official Languages is part of the roadmap, but shouldn't that funding be recurrent, through ongoing programs?
4:40 p.m.
Assistant Deputy Minister, Citizenship and Heritage, Department of Canadian Heritage
As the minister said, it's a combination of the two. There are some new initiatives—which were announced in 2008—and some ongoing ones. The initiative you are talking about was new.
4:40 p.m.
NDP
Pierre Dionne Labelle NDP Rivière-du-Nord, QC
Is the survival of the Centre of Excellence for Official Languages ensured?
4:40 p.m.
Assistant Deputy Minister, Citizenship and Heritage, Department of Canadian Heritage
The minister answered that question earlier.
4:40 p.m.
Conservative
James Moore Conservative Port Moody—Westwood—Port Coquitlam, BC
If you want to know what will be allocated under our next roadmap, you will have to wait until then.
4:40 p.m.
NDP
Pierre Dionne Labelle NDP Rivière-du-Nord, QC
Yes, but I am trying to clear some things up. We are told that the budgets have increased, but I see a decrease in both components. You are saying that this is because of the Olympic Games, but that's not indicated anywhere. We are wondering about that. The information is questionable. When it comes to this, I agree with what Mr. Dion said earlier.
4:40 p.m.
Conservative
James Moore Conservative Port Moody—Westwood—Port Coquitlam, BC
You are forgetting that our budget and supplementary estimates were voted on last week. Detailed information on our investments was provided in those budgets. You could perhaps just look at the figures included in the budgets. Frankly, it's very clear.
4:40 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Michael Chong
Thank you, Mr. Dionne Labelle. Thank you, Mr. Minister.
We now move to Ms. Bateman.
4:40 p.m.
Conservative
Joyce Bateman Conservative Winnipeg South Centre, MB
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
My questions will be about education and about the minister's comments regarding the integration of arts and linguistic duality.
I want to begin by thanking you, Mr. Minister, for being here with your colleagues, Mr. Jean and Mr. Lussier. I am always very impressed by your dedication to linguistic duality and by the ability to integrate that duality in our country to achieve certain goals. That's in line with my interests.
You said that the number of students in immersion programs has increased. I have two children in immersion. I have seen on a daily basis the influence of their French studies on their lives. So I have seen the potential of our country targeting those investments.
For instance, you have mentioned your investments in the Canadian Museum of History. Could you tell me how investments in museums—where both official languages are used—help our children?
4:45 p.m.
Conservative
James Moore Conservative Port Moody—Westwood—Port Coquitlam, BC
Yes, certainly.
We had a specific approach. As a government, we said that, if we got re-elected in 2011, we would achieve a balanced budget without making cuts in our health care system, our programs for seniors and veterans, and without increasing taxes for consumers and Canadians. That's what we said. That was our position in the 2011 election.
4:45 p.m.
Conservative
James Moore Conservative Port Moody—Westwood—Port Coquitlam, BC
We received a majority mandate. In order to achieve a balanced budget, we have to make some decisions. As a government, we decided to make cuts in certain areas, but not in others. That was based on a significant analysis. I'm talking about the department, my office and myself. It was a matter of looking at every penny of the $2.9 billion invested by the Department of Canadian Heritage and finding the best way to save money without affecting any issues that are very important to Canada.
We decided to not cut any money from our five-year investment in the roadmap for official languages. In addition, we decided not to cut our investment in the Canada Council for the Arts. We also decided not to cut a single penny from our investment in museums across Canada. I think those institutions play a really crucial role in helping people properly understand our country's heritage. I am referring to our geological heritage, cultural heritage, or the heritage of aboriginals or science and technology. As you know, since you represent a Winnipeg riding, our commitment was to create the new Museum for Human Rights in that city. We also made a commitment to create the new Museum of Immigration at Pier 21, in Halifax. Those were my commitments as Minister of Canadian Heritage. That has been confirmed in our budget, and we will continue to move in that direction.
When we have institutions that do good work in both official languages and young people see the results of that, we realize that we are certainly creating a heritage for our official languages that will benefit young people in the future.
4:45 p.m.
Conservative
Joyce Bateman Conservative Winnipeg South Centre, MB
Yes.
Is the use of technology in all museums meant to make those institutions more accessible to young people?
4:45 p.m.
Conservative
James Moore Conservative Port Moody—Westwood—Port Coquitlam, BC
Yes.
For instance, the new Canadian Museum of History will have unparalleled electronic capability. In addition, as I was saying to Mr. Godin in answering one of his questions about CBC, the commitment in terms of electronic platforms to reach a new audience is also a major success for the crown corporation.
4:45 p.m.
Conservative
4:50 p.m.
NDP
Yvon Godin NDP Acadie—Bathurst, NB
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I know the minister very well. He has been here for 12 years, and I was here before him. I would not call him an old fox, but rather a young fox. He said that we should work together and leave partisanship aside. I think that is what you said, is it not, Mr. Minister?
4:50 p.m.
Conservative
James Moore Conservative Port Moody—Westwood—Port Coquitlam, BC
Sorry, I did not understand what you said.
4:50 p.m.
NDP
Yvon Godin NDP Acadie—Bathurst, NB
You said that we should leave partisanship aside and try to work towards the same goal.
4:50 p.m.
Conservative
James Moore Conservative Port Moody—Westwood—Port Coquitlam, BC
No, some partisanship is okay once in a while. It is entertaining, and I think that our parliamentary system allows Canadians to see why we disagree and why we are not in the same party. However, in the case of certain issues, there are good reasons to set aside partisanship and work on a few projects.
4:50 p.m.
NDP
Yvon Godin NDP Acadie—Bathurst, NB
Are you ready to try one? Do you want to try to set partisanship aside?
4:50 p.m.
NDP
Yvon Godin NDP Acadie—Bathurst, NB
I met with the Premier of Manitoba, Mr. Selinger. He is prepared to work on a government program. Don't tell me that this is a provincial concern or something like that. The francophone community of Thompson is asking for its own school and services from kindergarten to grade 12—including early childhood spaces, a day-care centre and preschool care. They want a place where young people can flourish in French. I asked the premier of the province what he was going to do and whether he was interested in receiving federal assistance to achieve that goal. Section 41 of part VII of the Official Languages Act provides all those rights if there is agreement between the two levels of government.
Are you prepared to help them?