Official Languages Committee on Feb. 21st, 2019

[Alupa Clarke, Conservative, Beauport—Limoilou, QC]

So Ms. Joly is committing to 50% of the start-up costs, and nothing more. Is that right?

[Guylaine F. Roy]

She said that we are ready to contribute 50% of the costs and that she did not limit that to the startup costs. She said that we would be ready to be flexible and, at the beginning, for the first years, to provide 100% of the funding on the condition that the province also did its share in subsequent years.

In other words, we normally split the costs 50-50. But Minister Joly made it known that, to make things easier for the Government of Ontario, we were ready to put in 100%

[Alupa Clarke, Conservative, Beauport—Limoilou, QC]

Of the 50%.

[Guylaine F. Roy]

No, 100%

[Alupa Clarke, Conservative, Beauport—Limoilou, QC]

Yes, 100%, but…

[Guylaine F. Roy]

On the condition that the province commits to cover 100% of the costs in subsequent years.

[Alupa Clarke, Conservative, Beauport—Limoilou, QC]

Right.

We know that 50% of $80 million is $40 million. You are telling me that, if there are costs other than the start-up costs, you would absorb them too, because you would be paying 100% of the costs for the first four years.

[Guylaine F. Roy]

What I am saying is that the figure going round at the moment is the figure that the planning committee released. That is around $84 million over 10 years.

[Alupa Clarke, Conservative, Beauport—Limoilou, QC]

What I am saying is that Ms. Joly is ready to absorb all costs in excess of $40 million in the first four years. Is that right?

[Guylaine F. Roy]

What we need is for the Government of Ontario to make an official request to us and provide us with the costs that have been established. As far as the federal government is concerned, we know that the figure going round is $84 million.

[Alupa Clarke, Conservative, Beauport—Limoilou, QC]

However, you know that the figure is not serious. It is going around in the media. So, following Ms. Joly's very eloquent letter of January 13, did you, as a dedicated senior official—our public service in Canada is very good—initiate any kind of procedure with Ms. Mulroney's deputy ministers in order to get the true data? We do not want to end up with a white elephant.

So, after the letter, did you, personally, make a call, send an email or a letter, or do anything else?

[Guylaine F. Roy]

I am really happy that you asked that question. It lets me clarify the facts.

So, let us go back to November 2018. I have referred to two letters from Ms. Joly. I think that Minister Joly has spoken to Minister Mulroney, but I was not party to those discussions.

[Alupa Clarke, Conservative, Beauport—Limoilou, QC]

That is not important. We want to know what you did. You, personally.

[Guylaine F. Roy]

Okay, let us go back to the beginning of November 2018. I have mentioned that, in education, there are federal-provincial envelopes of $235 million per year. However, in addition to that, each year, official languages officials in Canadian Heritage put out calls for proposals in education to the provinces and territories. This is a usual process. So we…

[Alupa Clarke, Conservative, Beauport—Limoilou, QC]

Right, that is the usual process. I am not talking about the usual process.

[Guylaine F. Roy]

Let me continue.

At the beginning of November, we set up that communication with all the education ministries in the provinces and territories. In mid-November, we became aware of the Government of Ontario's decision. So my program people communicated directly with the officials in the Ontario Ministry of Education to tell them that they had issued a call for proposals and that they were ready to receive a proposal from them. They also told them not to forget that they had to apply by the deadline of December 17.

When December 17 came around, Ontario announced some projects, but not the projects for…

[Alupa Clarke, Conservative, Beauport—Limoilou, QC]

Madam, I am sorry to…

[The Chair, Liberal, Denis Paradis]

Mr. Clarke, your time is up, and I would actually like to hear Mrs. Roy's answer.

[Guylaine F. Roy]

So, December 17 came around. We received submissions. Ontario submitted projects in education, but nothing to do with the Université de l'Ontario français. So my program officials reminded the Government of Ontario officials that they could not see any project submitted for the university. They told them that we were ready to receive a submission from them, even though the deadline had passed.

Towards the end of December or at the beginning of January, my officials communicated with them again, saying that they were still ready to consider a project from them for the Université de l'Ontario français. The Ontario officials replied that they did not intend to submit a funding request. It was very clear on their part.

[Alupa Clarke, Conservative, Beauport—Limoilou, QC]

Did they reply by telephone or by email?

[Guylaine F. Roy]

I do not know how they replied, but it was very clear.

[Alupa Clarke, Conservative, Beauport—Limoilou, QC]

Mr. Chair, could we ask for some evidence of that? It is very important.

Ms. Roy, if this is true, it is wonderful; you have done good work.

[The Chair, Liberal, Denis Paradis]

I have no objection.

Madam Deputy Minister, could you provide us with the communications on this matter?

[Guylaine F. Roy]

Certainly, it would be my pleasure.

I can also assure you that, all through the process, we showed that we were ready to collaborate. We had the money on the table. It was good that we had issued a call for proposals. We were ready. We reminded the Government of Ontario officials, but they deferred to their government's decision. They were very clear with my officials; they would not be submitting a project.

[The Chair, Liberal, Denis Paradis]

Thank you very much.

Thank you, Mr. Clarke.

The floor now goes to Mr. Rioux.