Official Languages Committee on Dec. 12th, 2012

[Jacques Gourde, Conservative, Lotbinière—Chutes-de-la-Chaudière, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Mr. Minister, let's be positive and talk about the 2017 celebrations. That's a nice opportunity to highlight our two official languages and all the benefits of bilingualism in Canada.

We are headed towards 2017. Do you think certain events could provide inspiration or prepare us for that big celebration?

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

I agree that it's very important to adopt a Canada-wide approach and include all communities. Official languages are an important part of the country's heritage. I can assure you that our approach will be inclusive. To ensure that the approach is very respectful, we will take into account any good ideas from the country's regions.

[Jacques Gourde, Conservative, Lotbinière—Chutes-de-la-Chaudière, QC]

The Department of Canadian Heritage has already consulted some people. In 2013, the department will begin preparing....

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

Next January, I will hold my first round tables in communities. As you know, it's not always easy for people from the regions to come testify before this committee. So some people are excluded. Many organizations, across the country, cannot take the time to visit Ottawa to share ideas about the 2017 celebrations with the members of a committee—whether we are talking about this committee or the Committee on Canadian Heritage. In order to come up with ideas and get people involved in this process, we have to leave Ottawa and go to the regions and out to the field. We have to go and talk to them in the places where they do their community work. The idea is not only to establish policies, but also to adopt an approach that takes into account the ideas of people from the regions.

[Jacques Gourde, Conservative, Lotbinière—Chutes-de-la-Chaudière, QC]

The 2017 celebrations will most likely take place across Canada, and not only in Ottawa.

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

Yes, and I already know that certain communities have very big dreams for 2017—such as stadiums, new bridges or new parks. Some communities are talking about passports for tourism in Canada. Certain organizations simply want a really big celebration on July 1st. There are many ideas, and we will hear them.

[Jacques Gourde, Conservative, Lotbinière—Chutes-de-la-Chaudière, QC]

There are many cultures in Canada and the provinces. Taking bilingualism into account, of course, will we be able to highlight those cultures during the celebrations? I think they are a very important part of our country.

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

Without a doubt, as this is not only a date or an anniversary, but also a big celebration. I am sure that artists will come pitch projects to me. I know that the National Arts Centre has an ambitious cultural plan for 2017. I am certain that the Canada Council for the Arts is also planning some activities for 2017. Very recently, I spoke with people from the Canadian Arts Coalition. They had a plan and a request. According to their plan, we could introduce some artists that people have not often had an opportunity to see in the regions. They could appear in various regions of the country.

It's certain that many ideas will be submitted and that the number of funding requests will also be very high. We will have to keep taxpayers' limits in mind, while we organize some truly unique celebrations.

[Jacques Gourde, Conservative, Lotbinière—Chutes-de-la-Chaudière, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Minister. I wish you a successful undertaking in 2017.

[The Chair, Conservative, Michael Chong]

Thank you, Mr. Gourde.

Mr. Dion, go ahead.

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

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Mr. Minister, I was not a police officer. I was a minister who fulfilled his coordinating responsibility and ensured, along with his colleagues, that the government's decisions—with which we all agreed—would have a positive impact on communities. However, since you feel that this is not your role—even though it is part of your mandate—and you barely know what is going on in other departments, let's at least talk about your department.

In response to Mr. Dionne Labelle's question, you said that the $11 million decrease in the Official Languages Support Programs, between 2009-2010 and 2010-2011, was due to the fact that you had discontinued the funding for the Olympic Games. That doesn't make sense.

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

That's not what I said. I gave an example of a short-term event. I have other examples.

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

So let's talk about other examples because, Mr. Minister, your explanation doesn't make sense.

In 2007-2008, the funding for the Official Languages Support Programs was $358 million, and it has been dropping for four years. We reached $350 million in 2004-2005—and I am not even taking inflation into account because the amount is in current dollars. In addition, the decrease applies across the board. I will give some examples.

For community life, $62 million was set aside four years ago, and that amount is now $55 million. For minority language education, the amount was $176 million four years ago, and it is now $166 million. The amount for promoting linguistic duality was $4.4 million four years ago, while it is $4.3 million today. The amount set aside for second language learning was $115 million four years ago, and it is $112 million now.

Since you have to cut $106 million over the next three years and you don't even know that you have made some cuts already, by how much more do you want to reduce the funding of those programs that are essential for Canada's linguistic duality?

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

Is this a joke?

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

This is a serious question, Mr. Minister.

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

Your roadmap was about $750 million. Ours is $1.1 billion. Is that a cut?

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

If my understanding is right, Mr. Minister, you are telling me....

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

Is that a cut?

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

We do not know what will happen to your roadmap later on, but what you are telling me now, Mr. Minister....

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

Is this a cut?

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

Perhaps the roadmap is used to conceal cuts. That is what you are telling us. That is serious, Mr. Minister.

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

What you are saying is not serious.

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

Mr. Chair, I would like the minister to stop interrupting me.

This was actually very serious. Some members may laugh, but this is a serious issue for official language communities, and my colleagues from across the table constantly voiced—during the exercise we did for the roadmap—the concern that departments may use the roadmap to fund their cuts. You yourself constantly blocked the opposition's requests—in terms of resolutions—while saying that you did not want departments to use those funds. That is what you said.

Yet the minister is confirming that this is the game that is being played. The roadmap is used as a front to conceal cuts to which the minister will not even admit when the information is placed right in front of him. That is the truth, Mr. Chair.

As for your rose-coloured glasses regarding Canadian linguistic duality, have you requested from your department an analysis of the actual figures? I will give them to you.

If we leave out Quebec—where people are more bilingual than elsewhere—the number of people who can carry on a conversation in French has gone from 2,561,000 to 2,584,000 in four years. That is 20,000 more people for a country of 33 million. In terms of percentage, we have gone from 10.8% of our population being able to carry on a conversation in French to 10.2%. That is a failure. Why is a country with so many educated people unable to increase its percentage of individuals who can carry on a conversation in French?

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

What you are saying is that your roadmap was a....

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

I am talking about the last four years, Mr. Minister.