Official Languages Committee on March 19th, 2013

[Mathieu Ravignat, NDP, Pontiac, QC]

Forgive me for cutting you off, Mr. Fraser, but what happens when that leadership isn't in place? Because that's the reality now. We can't wait for leaders to just wake up one day. Bilingualism has been the reality in our country for years, and we still have problems with culture and leadership in the public service.

To my mind, we need to take a different approach. We need to give public servants who aren't managers the tools, if not the ammunition, they need to ensure their rights, their language and their culture are respected.

[Graham Fraser]

Tools exist. Those public servants have every right to file a complaint with our office. Under part V of the act, we conduct investigations into whether the right to work in French is respected.

I have learned that the process of investigating, evaluating or auditing an institution regarding an official languages matter has a real impact. Senior public servants are pretty competitive people. They don't enjoy being criticized publicly by anyone. It's—

[Mathieu Ravignat, NDP, Pontiac, QC]

Fine. Thank you, Mr. Fraser. That's what I wanted to know. Please understand that I have a limited amount of time.

You submitted your report in June 2012. The Privy Council Office was supposed to respond, obviously. The deadline was nearly five months ago, and we have yet to hear a response.

[Graham Fraser]

You're referring to the report on the appointment of the Auditor General?

[Mathieu Ravignat, NDP, Pontiac, QC]

Precisely.

[Graham Fraser]

We received the Privy Council's response at the end of February and are now in the midst of reviewing it.

[Mathieu Ravignat, NDP, Pontiac, QC]

However, the response was submitted five months after the deadline. Is this attitude toward your report a concern for you?

[Graham Fraser]

Let's say that I am never happy when responses to reports are late.

[Mathieu Ravignat, NDP, Pontiac, QC]

Did you let them know?

[Graham Fraser]

I raised the issue with the clerk, and then we finally received the response. We are currently analyzing it and drafting a final report.

[The Chair, Conservative, Michael Chong]

Mr. Ravignat, do you have any other questions?

[Mathieu Ravignat, NDP, Pontiac, QC]

Yes.

Setting aside the additional $3.3 million that was allocated to fund the move, if we compare 2013-2014 with 2012-2013, we see that the budget for the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages will remain roughly the same.

Given the transformation the government is going through and the extent of the budget cuts in a number of sectors, do you think you have sufficient resources to ensure that the government meets its responsibilities under the Official Languages Act, especially with regard to the vitality of minority language communities?

[Graham Fraser]

So far, I think our budgets have allowed us to fulfill our obligations. That's all I can say.

As you mentioned, we have received funding for the move. I think that is actually a seven- or ten-year loan. We will have to pay that money back. Nevertheless, I think we have successfully minimized the impact on our daily operations so as to protect our mandate.

[The Chair, Conservative, Michael Chong]

Mr. Galipeau, go ahead.

[Royal Galipeau, Conservative, Ottawa—Orléans, ON]

Are we at the end? I am not ready.

[The Chair, Conservative, Michael Chong]

Do any other members of the government have questions?

Mr. Godin, go ahead.

[Yvon Godin, NDP, Acadie—Bathurst, NB]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Just in case Mr. Galipeau is worried, I want to let him know that we support Mr. Fraser's appointment. That being said, we want a pitbull and not a chihuahua as the official languages watchdog. We want him to strike hard. That is the responsibility of the official languages watchdog. And it's important because I don't think the government's track record is that good.

We conducted a study on immigration. We wanted to submit it in the House of Commons, but we were unable to. We could not finish it. We spent taxpayers' money. A nice study was carried out, and we could have produced a report. We toured the far north. We went to Yellowknife and Whitehorse. We met with francophone communities. We conducted a study on immigration, and we could have produced a report and presented it in the House of Commons, but the Conservative government would not allow it.

In addition, a unilingual anglophone was appointed as Auditor General, and then a unilingual anglophone was appointed twice in a row as Supreme Court justice.

Regarding the Court Challenges Program, an out of court settlement was reached. As you know, Mr. Fraser, I was not too happy with that. I think the program has changed. That program was used to help establish schools in the regions and provide communities with the tools they needed to survive. We know what has happened. So that's not a good track record.

Another issue was the Statistics Canada long form census. We could go on about that for a while. The Conservatives are saying they did not abolish it, but they did shorten it. That data was important to you, Mr. Fraser, and it has been lost.

Do you agree with me?

[Graham Fraser]

Yes.

[Yvon Godin, NDP, Acadie—Bathurst, NB]

Thank you.

Do you think Canadians are familiar with the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages?

Do Canadians know that they have language rights and that they can file a complaint? Do you have a plan to help your office become more visible going forward?

[Graham Fraser]

Those are some very good questions. There are two answers.

I think that the office is very well known in minority communities, but less known in majority communities. We are currently working on a promotional campaign for the travelling public. We want to put up posters in airports to help travellers understand that they have language rights and that they can submit complaints if those rights are not respected.

We launched another initiative last September regarding our presence in social media, such as Facebook and Twitter. We are just starting out. We are continuing to figure out how to best promote our mandate by using those tools. I give interviews in all the provinces. I have also made speeches in all the provinces. However, those are more traditional ways to promote institutions, legislation and rights.

[Yvon Godin, NDP, Acadie—Bathurst, NB]

Earlier, I asked a question about the number of translators in the public service. I did not have the figures, but I do now. From 2011 to 2012, that number went from 1,238 to 1,135. Is that a concern for you? So there are 103 fewer individuals translating in the public service.

[Graham Fraser]

Translation as a whole is a concern of mine.

[Yvon Godin, NDP, Acadie—Bathurst, NB]

Okay. It is a concern. But what are you going to do? Do you plan to investigate or would that require official complaints?

[Graham Fraser]

I cannot at this time give you an official answer, since I have already planned meetings with some people who are involved in the matter. I have a meeting with the union president, Mr. Poirier. I cannot decide what actions should be taken before I meet with him.

[Yvon Godin, NDP, Acadie—Bathurst, NB]

Have you met with the Prime Minister over the past 12 months? If so, how many times?