Official Languages Committee on April 20th, 2016

[Paul Lefebvre, Liberal, Sudbury, ON]

Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Denis Paradis]

Mr. Samson, you have the floor.

[Darrell Samson, Liberal, Sackville—Preston—Chezzetcook, NS]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I would like to thank the minister and her colleagues from the Department of Canadian Heritage for being here with us today.

Madam Minister, I really appreciated the fact that you mentioned how passionate Nova Scotians are about education. You also mentioned the rest of the country, but it seemed to me that you talked about Nova Scotians with a bit more emotion, particularly when you used the word “talented”.

[Mélanie Joly, Liberal, Ahuntsic-Cartierville, QC]

I spoke from the heart.

[Darrell Samson, Liberal, Sackville—Preston—Chezzetcook, NS]

I really appreciated that.

We talked about it briefly already, but I would like to come back to a key point about francophone immigration.

The strategy that you are currently implementing must target those communities and help them. If a community welcomes 1,000 immigrants but nothing is done to maintain the percentage at 5% or 6%, then that percentage is going to drop. The region then may not be able to get French-language services since it does not meet the required percentage.

With that in mind, I would simply like you to give us more details on the strategy to stimulate francophone immigration.

[Mélanie Joly, Liberal, Ahuntsic-Cartierville, QC]

You are alluding here to the Official Languages Regulations, which determine whether a community can receive services in the second official language. You are talking about the famous 5%.

[Darrell Samson, Liberal, Sackville—Preston—Chezzetcook, NS]

That is exactly what I wanted to talk about.

[Mélanie Joly, Liberal, Ahuntsic-Cartierville, QC]

That is an issue that I am taking a very close look at. It is about finding a way to comply with the Official Languages Act, while ensuring the vitality of minority linguistic communities. I look forward to working with the committee on assessing all of that.

We are aware of the fact that the regulations were developed over two decades ago and that it may be time to consider the merits and the more detrimental aspects of those regulations. We need to determine how we can strike a healthy balance to ensure the vitality of our communities.

[The Chair, Liberal, Denis Paradis]

Thank you, Mr. Samson.

Mr. Choquette, you have the floor.

[François Choquette, NDP, Drummond, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Madam Minister, for taking the time to meet with us.

[Mélanie Joly, Liberal, Ahuntsic-Cartierville, QC]

It is a pleasure.

[François Choquette, NDP, Drummond, QC]

In spite of everything, there is something that I do not understand.

[Mélanie Joly, Liberal, Ahuntsic-Cartierville, QC]

I would be happy to explain it to you.

[François Choquette, NDP, Drummond, QC]

You say that you are responsible for coordinating and defending official languages.

How is it that you did not fight to keep the words “official languages” in the name of your department?

[Mélanie Joly, Liberal, Ahuntsic-Cartierville, QC]

I will tell you how important official languages are.

Official languages are so important that every department is responsible for them. That is why it is my duty to coordinate efforts in this regard, to really play a leadership role. However, our relationship with indigenous people, which seeks—

[François Choquette, NDP, Drummond, QC]

Yes, but we have a Minister of Indigenous and Northern Affairs.

[Mélanie Joly, Liberal, Ahuntsic-Cartierville, QC]

If I may, I will finish my answer.

As the Minister of Canadian Heritage, I also need to promote and protect indigenous languages and cultures as part of reconciliation efforts. The same goes for linguistic duality.

That is why I am working closely with my colleagues, the President of the Treasury Board and the Minister of Justice, to relaunch the court challenges program, which was unfortunately abolished by the previous government.

[François Choquette, NDP, Drummond, QC]

That is good news.

[Mélanie Joly, Liberal, Ahuntsic-Cartierville, QC]

It is a very important program for linguistic communities and for the defence of language rights.

Basically, the bottom line is that bilingualism is a priority, but it is also a shared responsibility. I am taking the lead on that shared responsibility.

[François Choquette, NDP, Drummond, QC]

Thank you, Madam Minister.

I apologize for interrupting you. It is just that we do not have much time to ask questions.

[Mélanie Joly, Liberal, Ahuntsic-Cartierville, QC]

No problem. I understand.

[François Choquette, NDP, Drummond, QC]

Recently, you met with representatives of the FCFA. I hope that you will also be able to meet with people from the QCGN.

[Mélanie Joly, Liberal, Ahuntsic-Cartierville, QC]

Actually, my team is meeting with them on Monday morning.

[François Choquette, NDP, Drummond, QC]

Yes, but I hope that you will also have the opportunity to meet with them.

[Mélanie Joly, Liberal, Ahuntsic-Cartierville, QC]

I will be happy to do so. I used to sit on the Conseil supérieur de la langue française with the president of the QCGN.