Evidence of meeting #90 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 organizations.

A recording is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Margo Legault  Executive Director, Literacy Quebec
Linda Shohet  As an Individual
Clerk of the Committee  Ms. Christine Holke

4:15 p.m.

Conservative

Alupa Clarke Conservative Beauport—Limoilou, QC

Yes. Do you have this sort of relationship?

4:15 p.m.

As an Individual

Linda Shohet

We have from the federal government, but not from other provinces—

4:15 p.m.

Conservative

Alupa Clarke Conservative Beauport—Limoilou, QC

That's interesting. Okay. Even when there's some religious affiliation or other affiliation? There are no funds at all from anybody?

4:15 p.m.

As an Individual

4:15 p.m.

Conservative

Alupa Clarke Conservative Beauport—Limoilou, QC

Not the province itself, or the government, but it could be another group.... There's no transfer of help in terms of people, money, or resources.

4:15 p.m.

As an Individual

Linda Shohet

There was participation, but not help.

4:15 p.m.

Conservative

Alupa Clarke Conservative Beauport—Limoilou, QC

Okay. Participation...?

4:15 p.m.

As an Individual

Linda Shohet

For example, the Centre for Literacy used to run an annual institute every year. Every province in the country sent representatives, and they paid to go.

4:15 p.m.

Conservative

Alupa Clarke Conservative Beauport—Limoilou, QC

I understand.

4:15 p.m.

As an Individual

Linda Shohet

It wasn't free. They paid to go, but I wouldn't call that giving us money, because there was a service. There was a learning exchange there. They did participate and they did collaborate with us, but also, the centre wasn't considered a Quebec organization.

4:15 p.m.

Conservative

Alupa Clarke Conservative Beauport—Limoilou, QC

I see.

4:15 p.m.

As an Individual

Linda Shohet

It was funded as a pan-Canadian one. That's what I said. Margo's is a Quebec—

4:15 p.m.

Conservative

Alupa Clarke Conservative Beauport—Limoilou, QC

I think it could be a positive avenue. It should be that way. It would be fair, you know, because there are nine, with one bilingual province, of course, which is Quebec.... You have eight anglophone provinces, which should take care of the anglophones in Quebec, I think.

4:15 p.m.

As an Individual

Linda Shohet

Well, nobody has broached it yet.

4:15 p.m.

Conservative

Alupa Clarke Conservative Beauport—Limoilou, QC

I'll talk to them about it.

4:15 p.m.

Voices

Oh, oh!

4:15 p.m.

Conservative

Alupa Clarke Conservative Beauport—Limoilou, QC

I have another question, which is similar to the one that Mr. Arseneault asked. There are some alarmists, sovereignists, who will say that in Montreal the French are disappearing and English are taking more and more land, but I want to touch on numeracy on the Island of Montreal. You said that in the whole province of Quebec numeracy for minority English groups is deteriorating. Is that the case for English speakers in Montreal? Is there a difference between English speakers on the Island of Montreal and the rest of the province of Quebec in terms of numeracy performance?

4:20 p.m.

As an Individual

Linda Shohet

Do you want to speak to that, Margo?

4:20 p.m.

Executive Director, Literacy Quebec

Margo Legault

It's something that I'd have to research.

4:20 p.m.

As an Individual

Linda Shohet

I'm going to say honestly that I have not looked specifically at the numeracy numbers.

4:20 p.m.

Conservative

Alupa Clarke Conservative Beauport—Limoilou, QC

If you could, I would really appreciate—

4:20 p.m.

As an Individual

Linda Shohet

I could certainly do that, but—

4:20 p.m.

Conservative

Alupa Clarke Conservative Beauport—Limoilou, QC

—seeing that kind of analysis.

4:20 p.m.

As an Individual

Linda Shohet

—I'm not prepared to answer that today, because I haven't looked at it that closely.

4:20 p.m.

Conservative

Alupa Clarke Conservative Beauport—Limoilou, QC

Okay.