Official Languages Committee on Oct. 27th, 2016

[Hubert Lussier]

Health was discussed around the consultation tables, and I think we can say without boasting that it is a field where there have been great successes.

There are two basic areas: the training of health professionals, which represents an investment of—

[Jean-Pierre Gauthier]

$106 million over five years.

[Hubert Lussier]

It is an investment of $106 million over five years. Then there is the number of professionals who have been trained: thousands since the action plans started. It is not just physicians who have been trained at linguistic minority institutions and then who serve minority communities—

[Sylvie Boucher, Conservative, Beauport—Côte-de-Beaupré—Île d’Orléans—Charlevoix, QC]

Pardon me for two seconds.

It would be good if everyone listened. Thank you.

[Hubert Lussier]

—but also nurses, paramedics, stretcher-bearers, and people at all levels: the first area is therefore training.

The second area is health networks. To give you an idea that is quite spectacular, 2,400 professionals have been trained since 2013. We are talking about francophones outside Quebec and anglophones in Quebec.

The Société santé en français, in particular, works with the provinces and local organizations to develop services. It does not deliver services, but it does develop minority-language services in partnership with provincial organizations. Considerable success has also been achieved in this area. It is still too soon to tell what position health will occupy in the future plan, but these are definitely success stories that will have to be perpetuated.

[Sylvie Boucher, Conservative, Beauport—Côte-de-Beaupré—Île d’Orléans—Charlevoix, QC]

Thank you very much.

We also talked about immigration. I know that immigration is partly the responsibility of certain provinces such as Quebec. However, we have realized that the 4.4% target we set for ourselves is difficult to achieve. Communities outside Quebec seem to be having a lot of trouble retaining francophone immigrants. Do you have any potential solutions for retaining our francophone immigrants? Will that be included in the action plan?

[Hubert Lussier]

You are right in saying it is a big step to achieve the 4.4% target—my colleague Mr. Gauthier talked about that a little earlier. One of the things we often hear is that there is a flaw in the way francophone immigrants are directed when they set foot in Canada. That flaw lies in the ability of the francophone community and school system to catch them early enough in their integration process so that their children go to school and use francophone services so that they can ultimately enter the francophone community. Too many of them slip through the net. One of the things our Immigration colleagues think about together with the provinces and us is how to improve the ability of the community and school networks to meet with these people immediately in order to direct them to the services that exist in French rather than let them turn to anglophone institutions.

[Sylvie Boucher, Conservative, Beauport—Côte-de-Beaupré—Île d’Orléans—Charlevoix, QC]

Thank you.

[Jean-Pierre Gauthier]

On the immigration question, I would add that we talk a lot about immigrant intake and retention in the minority communities.

Obviously, there are also other challenges and thoughts about international recruitment and promotion of the minority communities as immigration venues. That is done through our network of embassies. Initiatives are also in place, particularly in Paris and North Africa.

[The Chair, Liberal, Denis Paradis]

Thank you,

Ms. Lapointe and Mr. Samson will be sharing the speaking time allotted to them.

Ms. Lapointe, you have the floor.

[Linda Lapointe, Liberal, Rivière-des-Mille-Îles, QC]

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.

Thanks to the witnesses for being with us.

To respond to your remarks, Mrs. Boucher, we were preparing our questions. It is not that we were not listening to you. The topic of health in the language of one's choice is very important. Please be assured of that.

Mr. Gauthier, you must be aware of the report that was published in 2015 and entitled “Immigration as a Tool for Enhancing the Vitality and Supporting the Development of francophone Minority Communities.”

Were you in your position at that time?

[Jean-Pierre Gauthier]

Yes.

[Linda Lapointe, Liberal, Rivière-des-Mille-Îles, QC]

All right, thank you.

It contains two recommendations. Would you like me to read them to you?

[Jean-Pierre Gauthier]

Please do.

[Linda Lapointe, Liberal, Rivière-des-Mille-Îles, QC]

The first states, “That Citizenship and Immigration Canada promote the opportunity to live and work in French in francophone minority communities.”

The second reads as follows: “That Citizenship and Immigration Canada consider options to increase the number of francophone immigrants who settle in a francophone minority community in Canada through its Express Entry program.”

Do you think Citizenship and Immigration Canada has adopted and implemented those two recommendations?

[Jean-Pierre Gauthier]

Certainly. I know perfectly well that our colleagues have read the report.

[Linda Lapointe, Liberal, Rivière-des-Mille-Îles, QC]

I remind you that we have not achieved 4.4% francophone immigration.

[Jean-Pierre Gauthier]

No, that is correct.

I would like to clarify one point, and, even then, I am not sure that will change much in the debate. However, the target is set for 2023. The fact remains, however, that 4.4% is still a challenge.

Yes, the department is working on these two aspects: international promotion, and thus recruitment; and the settlement of immigrants here. That is clear.

That was part of the discussions held during consultation sessions with community groups two or three weeks ago to help us reflect together on what should be done.

It is also included in the discussions that are taking place at the intergovernmental level with the provinces and territories to study, together with the partners, ways of finding solutions and achieving these targets.

Consequently, our colleagues definitely have clearly heard the committee's recommendations and are very much aware of these issues.

[Linda Lapointe, Liberal, Rivière-des-Mille-Îles, QC]

Thank you.

Earlier my colleague talked about early childhood, immersion, and the lack of access to French-language schools. I think that is quite appalling. It is in early childhood that you really begin to learn your language.

Many francophone teachers from Quebec have graduated from university. I suppose some would definitely be interested in going to work in western Canada.

I would like to hear what you have to say on that subject.

[Hubert Lussier]

That is a fact; many are trained in Quebec and teach outside their home province.

We also have a monitor program that provides support to students, often Quebecers, so they in turn can support teachers from French schools elsewhere in the country.

[Linda Lapointe, Liberal, Rivière-des-Mille-Îles, QC]

I will close with a comment.

My eldest child earned her teaching degree from the Université de Montréal last year. She has never mentioned that she has received offers to teach elsewhere.

Consequently, I think it would be appropriate to offer that opportunity to teachers from francophone universities, particularly when they are young and just starting their careers. They are less attached to their environment and are more mobile than when they have family responsibilities.

That is a suggestion I am making to you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Denis Paradis]

Thank you.

Mr. Samson, you have the floor.

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

Thanks to my colleague.

In connection with immigration, we have heard about the French test, which is a problem, costs more than the English test, is very difficult, is complex, and so on.

Is it possible for your department to handle that test, manage it, and simplify it?

[Jean-Pierre Gauthier]

The test is an integral part of immigration system management.

It is used to assess the qualifications of immigrants, and I believe that task definitely falls to the department responsible for immigration.

The department has made a considerable investment in an attempt to establish tests that evaluate immigrants' language skills. Obviously, it has also closely monitored the criticisms that were made during the summer about the cost of the tests.

I know the department is considering the matter in an attempt to find solutions and to correct the situation, which no one considers appropriate.

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

Mr. Lussier, do you want to comment?