Evidence of meeting #3 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 roadmap.
A recording is available from Parliament.
5:05 p.m.
Liberal
Mauril Bélanger Liberal Ottawa—Vanier, ON
Here is my first question. What role do Canadian Heritage and the Official Languages Secretariat play in the governance of the roadmap?
5:05 p.m.
Assistant Deputy Minister, Citizenship and Heritage, Department of Canadian Heritage
First, we are responsible for coordinating the management of the roadmap, since our minister is responsible for that process. We conducted the consultations and we are in contact with other departments so that we can be assured that they are not treading on anyone's toes in their sectorial consultations.
Our department is also responsible for the accountability exercise. To that end, we hold regular meetings with our roadmap partners. Jean-Pierre and I sit on committees where discussions go on all the time to make sure that things are going well and that there are no major breakdowns that we have to fix. We also publish the accountability results that Jean-Pierre has mentioned.
5:05 p.m.
Liberal
Mauril Bélanger Liberal Ottawa—Vanier, ON
What tools and resources did the official languages secretariat give its federal partners to promote sound management practices under the roadmap?
5:05 p.m.
Director General, Official Languages Branch, Department of Canadian Heritage
We developed several shared instruments. It was done mainly through a Treasury Board submission. For instance, we established a risk management framework, which we just updated in the governance committees Hubert mentioned.
We also provide our federal partners with accountability templates. For the past 15 years or so, we've been working on horizontal plans, which also provide them with guidance. In addition, we have a strategy for managing performance indicators, and those were provided to Treasury Board. We use a host of governance mechanisms that were defined in 2013. We also collect data for reporting purposes on a yearly basis.
5:05 p.m.
Liberal
Mauril Bélanger Liberal Ottawa—Vanier, ON
How would you describe the interdepartmental cooperation under the roadmap?
February 24th, 2016 / 5:05 p.m.
Assistant Deputy Minister, Citizenship and Heritage, Department of Canadian Heritage
The honourable member knows that our opinions, as public servants, are merely our own. We are here to provide the committee with facts. Nevertheless, I'll venture an answer to your question.
The level of cooperation is excellent, but there are always departments that need a bit more prodding than others. Our job is to do our best to motivate and inspire them.
5:05 p.m.
Director General, Official Languages Branch, Department of Canadian Heritage
We are well-received. For example, in preparation for today's discussion on the roadmap, I reached out to colleagues in four federal institutions yesterday, between ten in the morning and two in the afternoon, without any trouble. They take our calls, they give us information, they send us material. When we request information, they contribute. The level of cooperation is very good. We have no complaints on that front.
We have our own director general-level committees and working groups that help us maintain good relationships with our colleagues in other federal institutions.
5:05 p.m.
Liberal
5:05 p.m.
Liberal
Linda Lapointe Liberal Rivière-des-Mille-Îles, QC
Good afternoon, gentlemen. Thank you for being here.
You'll probably be able to answer a very specific question about my riding, Rivière-des-Mille-Îles, which is home to Deux-Montagnes, Saint-Eustache, Boisbriand, and Rosemère. There are two English-speaking communities, one in Deux-Montagnes and one in Rosemère.
On page 12 of your presentation, you talk about 19 initiatives, but I count just 13. One of those initiatives, affecting the English-speaking communities in Deux-Montagnes and in Rosemère, came to the fore during and after the election. You said you provide assistance to minority communities—in this case, English-speaking communities—with networks and access to health services. But I have to tell you there's a problem in that regard. At the Saint-Eustache hospital, in the Lower Laurentians area, people aren't receiving services in their first language, and it's very tough on them. Since all the English-language hospitals are on the island of Montreal, it makes things very complicated for those who are isolated.
I'd like to hear your thoughts on that. Keep in mind that this affects 10,000 people in my riding, and many of them are getting on in age.
5:10 p.m.
Director General, Official Languages Branch, Department of Canadian Heritage
That's a good question.
It actually throws a spotlight on a reality we all know quite well, the fact that we have two levels of government involved: federal and provincial. Health, like education, falls within the provincial domain. These are programs set out in the roadmap, but our involvement is a bit roundabout. We train health professionals who then return to their communities to deliver professional health services in the minority language.
5:10 p.m.
Director General, Official Languages Branch, Department of Canadian Heritage
Studies by the Société Santé en français and the health department suggest that 88% of those trained return to their communities.
That being said, the capacity to speak the second language doesn't change how someone is received in an emergency room, for example, since it's under provincial jurisdiction. We all know that the Government of Quebec has its Charter of the French Language, which lays out when and how services in Quebec are to be offered in French or in English. It's an area where we don't really have the power to get involved directly.
5:10 p.m.
Liberal
Linda Lapointe Liberal Rivière-des-Mille-Îles, QC
Do you have any solutions or ways to improve the services provided to these people?
5:10 p.m.
Assistant Deputy Minister, Citizenship and Heritage, Department of Canadian Heritage
There is another type of activity that we support in Quebec, through the agency known as the Community Health and Social Services Network. The agency works with Quebec's department of health and social services to influence the provision of health services by the Quebec government and hospitals. The idea is to make people aware of the reality you described, the reality of those who are often seniors and who need access to services in their mother tongue. It is actually much easier for people to receive services in their language when it involves issues as sensitive as health care.
Indirect though it may be, it's a method that works. We would be glad to tell our health counterparts about the example you mentioned.
5:10 p.m.
Liberal
5:10 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Denis Paradis
You can keep going. You are actually next on the list for the second round.
5:10 p.m.
Liberal
Linda Lapointe Liberal Rivière-des-Mille-Îles, QC
Excellent, but I do realize that my colleagues wish to speak as well.
5:10 p.m.
Liberal
5:10 p.m.
Liberal
Linda Lapointe Liberal Rivière-des-Mille-Îles, QC
Okay. I just have another question.
Mr. Choquette asked a question earlier about Minister Joly's mandate letter. It pertains to official language minority communities. I'm still talking about my riding, but there are a few of us members from Quebec who represent official language minority communities.
When and how will official language minority communities be consulted? They should be consulted. The Laurentians region is home to quite a few pockets of anglophone minority communities.
5:10 p.m.
Director General, Official Languages Branch, Department of Canadian Heritage
Community agencies are consulted on an ongoing basis. That is done regularly and is already in place. Over the years, we've built good relationships with a number of community agencies. My colleague mentioned the CHSSN, but others include the Quebec Community Groups Network. So we've had numerous discussions with intermediaries and stakeholders from the community.
Another form of consultation will be taking place soon in preparation for the next official languages plan. We are definitely going to propose a whole series of consultations to the minister. The process would be modelled on past consultations, similar to those held in 2012 and in 2002-03, with the first official languages strategy.
People will certainly have an opportunity to share their views during that consultation process. So we have ongoing consultations and open lines of communication with community agencies. Consultations will take place on a number of levels, including locally, when average citizens will have a chance to share their views and comments.
5:10 p.m.
Liberal
Linda Lapointe Liberal Rivière-des-Mille-Îles, QC
Thank you kindly.
I'm going to turn the floor over to my colleague now, given how time flies.