Official Languages Committee on Sept. 27th, 2018

Evidence of meeting #110 for Official Languages in the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was health.

On the agenda

Action Plan for Official Languages 2018-23: Investing in Our Future

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Jean Rioux Saint-Jean, Lib.

Denis Simard President, Assemblée communautaire fransaskoise

Carol-Guillaume Gagné Chief Executive Officer, Association des parents fransaskois

Mélissa Castonguay Cossette Administrator, Association des parents fransaskois

Francis Kasongo Executive Director, Collège Mathieu

Kouame N'Goandi Manager, Accountability, Conseil économique et coopératif de la Saskatchewan

Alpha Barry Chair, Conseil des écoles fransaskoises

Anne Leis President, Réseau santé en français de la Saskatchewan

Ronald Labrecque Executive Director, Assemblée communautaire fransaskoise

Frédérique Baudemont Executive Director, Réseau santé en français de la Saskatchewan

Marie-France Kenny President, Coopérative des publications fransaskoises

Patrick Hopf President, French-Speaking Jurists Association of Saskatchewan

Karen Pozniak Executive Director, Saskatchewan, Canadian Parents for French

Céline Moukoumi President, Communauté des Africains francophones de la Saskatchewan

Gilles Groleau Chairman of the Board of Directors, Conseil culturel fransaskois

Suzanne Campagne Director, Conseil culturel fransaskois

Roger Gauthier Fédération des aînés fransaskois

Noon

Fédération des aînés fransaskois

Roger Gauthier

Part of it is political. Services were streamlined. Some offices were closed. Bilingual staff was not necessarily hired, even though Saskatchewan has a fairly large number of bilingual people, on both the francophone and anglophone side. At least 4% of Saskatchewan's population is bilingual. Of that, 1.4% are francophone and the rest participated in an immersion program. After taking an immersion program, people do not necessarily stay in Saskatchewan. Many of our francophones, who are qualified people, move away because they cannot advance in their career.

There are many factors that play a role, but the fact remains that the services are not there.

Noon

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Denis Paradis

Thank you very much, Mr. Gauthier.

Thank you very much, Mr. Rioux.

That brings today's public hearing to an end. I would like to thank all the participants.

As I said to the other group earlier, you are part of a vibrant, dynamic community. I commend you not only for living in French here but also for promoting the French fact. Congratulations. Thank you for your presentations. They will be a great help to the committee.

The meeting stands adjourned.