Evidence of meeting #18 for Official Languages in the 41st Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was business.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Director General, Regional Operations Branch, Operations Sector, Canada Economic Development
I would like some clarification. Are you talking about entrepreneurs who manage to get a project going or entrepreneurs who are successful in business?
Conservative
Jacques Gourde Conservative Lotbinière—Chutes-de-la-Chaudière, QC
They often go hand in hand. If someone manages to get a project going, he or she forms a business. However, some are successful, while others are not. Sometimes it's a matter of chemistry.
Is it because of the entrepreneur's leadership, skill set, training or seed money? How is it that it goes well for some, but others have more difficulty?
Director General, Regional Operations Branch, Operations Sector, Canada Economic Development
You've just listed the winning conditions.
It may be the financial outlay or the participation of various stakeholders and the various levels of government in the project. The involvement of financial institutions is often crucial to a project's success.
There is also the advice given to promoters for developing and presenting their projects, be it about the business plan or marketing expertise.
These are all things that contribute to a business' success, whether it is in an OLMC or not. For example, this is also the case for a business in Quebec's francophone linguistic majority.
Conservative
Jacques Gourde Conservative Lotbinière—Chutes-de-la-Chaudière, QC
Is there a mentoring service to help entrepreneurs in our official language minority communities to work their way through their business plan?
Director General, Regional Operations Branch, Operations Sector, Canada Economic Development
Yes. I can't remember the exact name of the organization just now, but I will be able to give you that information later.
As I said in my opening remarks, the CEDEC has entrepreneurial support groups in seven regions. Our network should be expanding to include all regions of Quebec. That's one of the preferred tools we have to help entrepreneurship.
Conservative
Jacques Gourde Conservative Lotbinière—Chutes-de-la-Chaudière, QC
Do minority anglophone businesses in Quebec have export projects? Is it easier for them than for other organizations in Quebec to export abroad?
Director General, Regional Operations Branch, Operations Sector, Canada Economic Development
As Mr. Godin said, when you speak English, everything related to exports, particularly to the United States, becomes much easier. For instance, the Gourmet du Village project in Morin-Heights, which was approved under EDI, sought to market products outside Canada, to the United States in particular. The goal of the project was to support its marketing efforts. It might seem that language was not an obstacle in this case, but the promoter needed our help to structure its marketing efforts in order to be able to sell products to the United States.
Conservative
Jacques Gourde Conservative Lotbinière—Chutes-de-la-Chaudière, QC
Do you think that minority anglophones in Quebec have less of a challenge than francophones outside Quebec to bring their business plans to fruition?
Others could answer this question as well.
Director General, Regional Operations Branch, Operations Sector, Canada Economic Development
On the Quebec side, I think the challenges are comparable, but I wouldn’t be able to speak for the other provinces. Perhaps my colleagues could tell us what the situation is in the other provinces.
Conservative
Jacques Gourde Conservative Lotbinière—Chutes-de-la-Chaudière, QC
Ms. Guimond, would you like to share your thoughts with us?
Is it more challenging for francophone communities in your province than for anglophone communities in Quebec to have a business plan and be successful?
Director General, Operations-Manitoba, Western Economic Diversification Canada
It depends on the business and its situation. A business that receives enough support to prepare its business plan and to form partnerships in order to secure funding can make it just as easily as a business from another region.
Conservative
Conservative
Liberal
Lise St-Denis Liberal Saint-Maurice—Champlain, QC
Thank you for joining us.
I don’t intend to put anyone on the spot with my question, as was tried earlier with Mr. Aucoin. I would like everyone to answer. We will end with the representatives from Quebec, given that I am familiar with the situation there. As for Mr. Aucoin, instead of talking about New Brunswick, I would like him to tell me about the three other provinces in eastern Canada.
What is the future of the francophonie in each of your regions?
You are saying that things are going well, funding is available, businesses are being created, and so on.
What do the rest of you think? Do francophone communities have a future in English-speaking regions?
Could each of you answer the question?
Director General, Policy, Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
I will try to answer your question.
You may know that I come from another province, not New Brunswick. I live in New Brunswick right now, but I come from the Acadian region of Chéticamp, on Cape Breton Island.
I am familiar with what can happen in a minority francophone community largely surrounded by anglophones. However, I will not speak about my home community only. I can tell you that ACOA has communication, interaction and dialogue networks with a number of francophone organizations in each province to identify priorities, visions and profitable economic projects.
There are economic development organizations in each province. Just think of the Conseil de développement économique de la Nouvelle-Écosse. We support the council with a view to helping francophone entrepreneurs in particular. The same is true for the other provinces.
The simplest answer to your question is that the future is different for each province. However, one thing has stood out in all our discussions with the representatives of francophones from each of the Atlantic provinces, with the exception of New Brunswick, as requested by Ms. St-Denis. We are seeing some very interesting projects and entrepreneurs are anticipating a better future based on the exciting industrial and sectoral prospects for francophones.
We hear a lot about diversification. People are aware of the challenges facing traditional industries. Sometimes, they suggest value-added or innovative projects in traditional sectors. We find that very appealing. Some have been very successful with those projects. They are going to work with us to open up international markets for those traditional industries and other industries.
Liberal
Lise St-Denis Liberal Saint-Maurice—Champlain, QC
I would like everyone to have a chance to answer my question. Remember that my speaking time is limited.
Acting Chief Financial Officer, Corporate Services Branch, Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario
According to the data, the situation of francophone communities in southern Ontario, in general, is comparable to that of all the communities in southern Ontario. I think those communities have a bright future.
However, some specific communities are faced with challenges. That is specifically the case of rural communities or small francophone communities.
That being said, we are seeing an improvement in the situation of all francophone communities in southern Ontario. As my colleague Mr. Tanguay was saying, the diversity of the population is important for free trade around the world.
We're living in a world where trade is important.
Francophone communities in southern Ontario have the advantage of knowing another language, which allows them to trade with other francophone countries. I think the future of the francophone community in southern Ontario is good.
Director General, Operations-Manitoba, Western Economic Diversification Canada
My answer is that the future is bright. We are actually talking about what to do to prepare for the future. For WD, when we support our communities, we are also helping small and medium-sized businesses, including young people and francophone newcomers, to contribute to the economic development of their communities.
However, it is important to do so on an ongoing basis and to always form partnerships. The resources are limited and they must be invested in projects that will have the best possible benefits on communities.
Liberal
Lise St-Denis Liberal Saint-Maurice—Champlain, QC
Can people from New Brunswick who go to work in your region be integrated into your francophone community?
Director General, Operations-Manitoba, Western Economic Diversification Canada
Yes. For instance, I am not from Manitoba. However, my children went to Université de Saint-Boniface, and my grandchildren are going to Les Tournesols daycare, a French-language institution.
So I am an example; I live in a minority community.
Senior Advisor to the President, Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency
Thank you.
I would say that people are often surprised to hear what a strong francophone community we have in each of the three territories. They are concentrated in the capitals of the territories, so we don't face some of the rural challenges, although in the territories we have the same problems in reaching rural entrepreneurs, and they have some challenges in terms of being able to access service to be successful. I would expect the trend to continue.
The francophone communities have a strong cultural presence in each of the territories, and at CanNor we continually engage with the communities to discuss opportunities for collaboration with other organizations, including the territorial governments. The chambers are a strong partner in economic development in all three territories. The education system supports the francophone community as well.
We see them as a very strong partner, but as my colleagues have pointed out, consistency is important, and we are continually engaging in looking for opportunities to partner with the francophone communities in the territories.
Lucie Perreault Director, Programs and Corporate Services, Federal Economic Development Initiative for Northern Ontario
In northern Ontario, official language minority communities are in rural areas. So they are dealing with the challenges we are discussing.
What we are seeing is that these communities are made up of primary industries.
They are like single-resource communities.
This type of economy, which characterizes these communities and is cyclical, is problematic for both francophones and anglophones.
However, we see that our communities are starting to diversify and develop. With the support of programs such as the economic development initiative or the services provided by CFDCs, FedNor encourages the development and diversification of our communities.
Each community has its leaders who are mobilizing. By coming together, they are creating movements that will ensure that the communities survive and flourish.
That is our reality in northern Ontario.
Conservative
