Official Languages Committee on Dec. 7th, 2017

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

I had the chance to speak with the new minister, Mrs. Weil. We agreed on the importance of supporting English-speaking Quebeckers, especially the ones who live in different regions of Quebec. Therefore, in the context of our new action plan, we will make sure that we provide the right support to these English-speaking minorities. It's always a pleasure to be able to get the input on the part of QCGN, which is a very important organization, in order to support the vitality of the English-speaking community in Quebec.

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

Thank you. I'm sure you're aware that English-speaking people in rural Quebec—we went to the Eastern Townships in September—don't have the same issues as those in Montreal. Are you aware of that to help these people outside Montreal with the vitality of their community?

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

Of course, we've heard loud and clear that there was a willingness on the part of the communities to be better supported by the federal government in the context of its new action plan, since a lot of these smaller communities are living in very remote places. In Îles de la Madeleine I also had the chance to meet with some of these communities and to hear their struggles. Of course, I bear that in mind, while preparing the new action plan that will be put in place for April 1, 2018.

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

Thank you.

On another topic, I would like to talk about the bilingualism statistics you mentioned earlier. All the studies conducted clearly show that all linguistic minorities have a high rate of bilingualism, both anglophones in Quebec, 66% of whom are bilingual, and francophones outside Quebec, 89% of whom are bilingual.

I consider it a strength that more and more Canadians are bilingual. Moreover, a lot of witnesses told us that they need bilingual staff, whether it is Air Canada or others. I think we have to encourage higher rates of bilingualism, both among francophones outside Quebec and among anglophones in Quebec.

Will that be addressed in the modernization of the Official Languages Act? In my opinion, increasing the rate of bilingualism is very important.

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

Your question is very relevant, in fact.

As part of our new official languages action plan, we always provide support to linguistic minority communities since they, very honestly, face a lot of challenges. In the interest of social cohesion across the country, however, it is also essential that we support and promote bilingualism. So the action plan will really address both of these priorities.

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

We have heard a number of possible solutions. I am sure you have read our reports. It is clear that grade school immersion programs are in demand. Outside Quebec, anglophones really want their children to have access to those programs.

I would like to hear your thoughts on that.

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

That is a good point. Moreover, as I said in my introductory remarks, there is more demand than ever from parents outside Quebec to enrol their children in French immersion programs, which is good news in itself.

We are also seeing breakthroughs in certain provinces. Alberta has developed its first policy to support services in French and the province's francophone communities. I have also had the opportunity to meet with my provincial and territorial counterparts in recent months. We are really seeing that even the ministers of education have mobilized to offer French-language classes and French immersion programs.

That being said, when the provinces and territories want to make an investment, we have to make sure that this does not hurt francophone communities that have their own school system and that face huge recruitment challenges. We also have to offset the effects of being surrounded by an English-speaking majority.

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

You mentioned recruitment. There is indeed a shortage of teachers, especially of French teachers outside Quebec. Have you discussed this with the various ministers of education? In upcoming discussions, could you address the need for a sufficient number of teachers of both official languages in Quebec and outside Quebec, right across Canada actually?

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

Yes, we have discussed that with the various ministers responsible for francophone affairs. This issue is very important to my counterpart in Quebec, Jean-Marc Fournier.

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

I have worked with him in fact.

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

Okay.

We are working on that with respect to the official languages action plan. There is a shortage of French teachers right across the country, both in French-language school boards and in majority language schools boards that offer French immersion. We are looking a lot at the issue of teacher mobility across the country.

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

Thank you.

[The Vice-Chair, Conservative, Alupa Clarke]

Mr. Vandal, you have the floor.

[Dan Vandal, Liberal, Saint Boniface—Saint Vital, MB]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Hello, Madam Minister.

First, I would like to thank you once again for coming to Winnipeg to visit my community of Saint-Boniface—Saint-Vital. The entrepreneurs and SMEs were very happy to see you.

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

I am also very pleased that I was able to visit you, dear colleague.

[Dan Vandal, Liberal, Saint Boniface—Saint Vital, MB]

As you may know, the community that I represent, Saint-Boniface—Saint-Vital, is concerned about the major changes in the French-language education system. The province's Conservative government, which is led by a former Reform Party MP, has abolished the position of assistant deputy minister of the Bureau de l'éducation française, or French-language education bureau, which is very important.

I know that this is under provincial jurisdiction and that you cannot speak about it in detail, but I wanted to share my community's concerns with you. A number of official language minority communities are calling on our government and on you, as minister, to show leadership, which was absent for the 10 years of the Harper government.

Can you comment on that?

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

Thank you for raising that matter, which is of great concern. In the coming days, I will be sending a letter about that to my counterpart Rochelle Squires.

In our negotiations with the province regarding investments in education to support the francophone linguistic minority in Manitoba, we want to raise that issue. I hope you will continue to raise the issue in Manitoba because it is important to continue protecting and promoting language rights. Official languages communities need allies right across the country. Every time there are setbacks on the official languages, we must speak out and address them.

[Dan Vandal, Liberal, Saint Boniface—Saint Vital, MB]

Thank you. We will continue working with the community in that regard.

Last week, the FCFA published a report indicating that just 25% of roadmap funding reaches minority institutions and organizations and that 60% goes to provincial and territorial governments.

I know of course that you were not the minister when the roadmap was announced, but can you, Mr. Lussier or Mr. Gauthier, speak to these figures nonetheless? Are these figures accurate? What can we do to make sure that more funding reaches the communities?

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

Let me say first of all that I have heard the alarm sounded by various communities across the country. The 10-year freeze on operating budgets is of great concern to the communities. We intend to address that.

We are also very concerned that funding to support the promotion and defence of language rights was frozen or cut.

That is why we have modernized the court challenges program, and that is why we are examining ways to re-establish the structures to support and defend language rights. Organizations across the country must continue to champion and support efforts related to the vitality of language communities.

I referred earlier to our action plan on official languages. We will be working from the bottom up, or in other words, we will make the same investments as those set out in the roadmap that expires on March 31, and we will be adding new investments. We will also have a governance plan to ensure that the funding is properly redistributed and to make the government accountable.

[Dan Vandal, Liberal, Saint Boniface—Saint Vital, MB]

The governance plan will give us more control over the money that goes to the provinces.

Is it true that the provinces get 60% of the funding under the old plan or the current plan?

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

Large amounts of money are transferred for education. It goes without saying that we work with the provinces and territories. There is also money that goes directly to the organizations.

In our new action plan, we want to focus on the services offered by and for the communities.

[Dan Vandal, Liberal, Saint Boniface—Saint Vital, MB]

Thank you.

[The Vice-Chair, Conservative, Alupa Clarke]

Ms. Kusie, you have the floor.

I think you will be sharing your speaking time with Mr. Mulcair, is that right?

[Stephanie Kusie, Conservative, Calgary Midnapore, AB]

That's right.

[The Vice-Chair, Conservative, Alupa Clarke]

Okay.

Please go ahead, Ms. Kusie.