Official Languages Committee on May 9th, 2013

[Élaine Michaud, NDP, Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I will let you answer, Mr. Fraser.

[Graham Fraser]

Ms. Michaud, you asked whether we have followed up on our report. The follow-up has not been completed. However, I have been very involved. I am keeping a close eye on the process. I just saw a draft version, but the report is not finished.

[Élaine Michaud, NDP, Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC]

Without going into detail, can you tell us whether or not the recommendations have been fully applied?

[Graham Fraser]

I cannot discuss that until the follow-up has been completed. We hope to finish it by June. But until then, since we are only halfway done, I cannot comment.

[Élaine Michaud, NDP, Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC]

When will you make that information available?

[Graham Fraser]

We have our sights set on June.

Perhaps Ghislaine can provide you with more information.

[Ghislaine Charlebois, Assistant Commissioner, Compliance Assurance Branch, Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages]

As the commissioner said, we will send the follow-up report to the parties involved in the investigation in June.

[Élaine Michaud, NDP, Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC]

So when will the report be available to the general public?

[Ghislaine Charlebois]

As this is a follow-up report on an investigation, it will not be made public.

[Élaine Michaud, NDP, Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC]

Okay.

Mr. Fraser, will you be able to share your conclusions or at least your thoughts on the situation?

[Graham Fraser]

Investigation reports and related follow-ups put us in a somewhat paradoxical situation, as we are subject to confidentiality terms, but the complainants are not. That means that the complainant is absolutely free to make the whole report public. That puts me in a difficult situation in the aftermath, since—

[Élaine Michaud, NDP, Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC]

You may be asked to comment. I completely understand.

[Graham Fraser]

I have to adjust to the reality. If we have complied with the confidentiality terms, but the document has been made public, it's difficult for me to remain silent on the topic.

[Élaine Michaud, NDP, Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC]

I understand. So we will see what will happen once the involved parties have received their copy of the report. We will see whether you will be asked to comment at that time.

Let's stay along the same lines. My colleague Yvon Godin asked the Office of the Commissioner how many violations of the Official Languages Act have been committed by Fisheries and Oceans Canada over the past three years. We have been unable to obtain an answer to that question.

Could you explain to us why exactly you cannot answer? Don't you keep a record of violations for each federal institution in order to assess their compliance with the Official Languages Act?

[Graham Fraser]

I think that was just a matter of the time needed to do this kind of research. In 2012-13, there were 15 admissible complaints, of which 2 underwent a facilitated resolution process and 13 were formally investigated. I can specify what parts of the act the complaints pertained to.

[Élaine Michaud, NDP, Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC]

We would appreciate it if you could send us that in writing, for the committee's benefit.

[Graham Fraser]

Yes, certainly. Allow me to go over the figures very quickly. There were 16 complaints in 2011-12 and 5 complaints in 2010-11. In addition, we can specify what part of the act was related to each of the complaints.

[Élaine Michaud, NDP, Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC]

We would appreciate that. Thank you.

I would like to stay on the topic of the maritime search and rescue centre in Quebec City. Like everyone else, you have probably seen today's news. We have received no confirmation from the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, but it would appear that the government is considering reversing its decision to close the Quebec City centre.

Did you receive the same information?

[Graham Fraser]

I will not go into detail. However, I can tell you that, over the course of the follow-up, I have spoken with the Deputy Minister and the Commissioner of the Coast Guard. I do not want to repeat our conversations, but I can tell you that we discussed the importance of offering services in both official languages, based on the initial report.

[The Chair, Conservative, Michael Chong]

Okay, thanks.

Mr. Gourde, go ahead.

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

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I want to thank the commissioner for joining us today.

I was looking at the accounts. For 2011-12, you had a total of $22,355,036. In the 2012-13 estimates, there was an initial amount of $20,711,000, which is a decrease. In the end, we are talking about some $23 million. I understand that this includes the moving expenses. You did manage to cut the Office of the Commissioner's budget.

Can you tell us how you did that and what kinds of efforts you had to invest?

[Graham Fraser]

We invested a great deal of effort and managed our operations very well.

I will ask Ms. Lagacé to provide a more in-depth account of our actions.

[Colette Lagacé, Director, Finance and Procurement, Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages]

In 2011-12, we undertook an A-based review. The goal of that exercise was to ensure that all the money allocated to the Office of the Commissioner was really being used to carry out our mandate. Eighteen employees within the Office of the Commissioner have been reassigned. We have analyzed all of our expenditures. Our operating expenses, such as travel spending, have been reduced. The commissioner now flies exclusively economy class.

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

Has the number of employees changed over those years, or has it remained roughly the same?

[Colette Lagacé]

According to the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat Regulations, we are allowed to have 177 FTEs. However, we have 163, for a difference of 14 FTEs.