Evidence of meeting #91 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 children.
Conservative
Sylvie Boucher Conservative Beauport—Côte-de-Beaupré—Île dOrléans—Charlevoix, QC
Your province is the only one that has no agreement with the federal government. Is that what you're saying?
Chair, Conseil scolaire francophone de la Colombie-Britannique
With the provincial government. That was in response to your first question.
Conservative
Sylvie Boucher Conservative Beauport—Côte-de-Beaupré—Île dOrléans—Charlevoix, QC
My goodness. Is this 2018, or what?
Now I have a more general question. I'm not sure who should answer, perhaps the day care centre representatives. On average, what is the group size and employee-to-child ratio in your province's or school board's day care centres?
Marie-Andrée Asselin Managing Director, Fédération des parents francophones de Colombie-Britannique
I'll answer that, if I may.
Our federation is taking advantage of your being here today to release a study on French-language day care in British Columbia. You'll find the report in our brief, at tab A. Towards the end of the report, in appendix B, you'll find a list of all the day care centres in the province, along with the number of children in each group, and the maximum number of children allowed under the centre's operating licence.
The main report contains the ratios for each age group. It really depends on the age group. In the case of infants, the ratio is four to one. For slightly older children, it can be up to 12 children per educator. As you can see, then, these are small groups.
Liberal
Liberal
Darrell Samson Liberal Sackville—Preston—Chezzetcook, NS
Thank you very much for being here today. It's a pleasure to meet with you.
I want to begin by congratulating you on the outstanding work you do on the ground. Without you, progress would be even harder to achieve. I knew, as I listened to you speak, that you already had the solutions.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Denis Paradis
Mr. Samson, I think you should tell us which part of the country you represent, first.
Liberal
Darrell Samson Liberal Sackville—Preston—Chezzetcook, NS
Yes.
My name is Darrell Samson. I am now a politician, but my professional background is as an educator. I went from working on the ground to making decisions in a new arena. I am Nova Scotia's only Acadian representative, so I see my role as extremely important not just for Nova Scotia, but also at the national level. At one time, I held the key position of president of the Regroupement national des directions générales de l'éducation.
You put forward a number of proposals, suggesting an early childhood development policy and highlighting the importance of a new Official Languages Act. Those are probably the two key ingredients for guaranteed success.
I'd like to pick up on the work done by the CSF. I have only six minutes, so we'll really have to keep things rolling. Actually, I have just four minutes left now.
How many years have you been waiting for land on which to build a school in British Columbia? Please answer clearly so that everyone can hear you.
Vice-Chair, Conseil scolaire francophone de la Colombie-Britannique
It's been more than 15 years, nearly 17 years now.
Liberal
Darrell Samson Liberal Sackville—Preston—Chezzetcook, NS
As far as section 23 of the charter goes, we have long been enumerating children for the purposes of subsection 23(1). However, we have not been assuming our responsibilities under subsection 23(3).
Do you think it would make a big difference if we were to do so?
Chair, Conseil scolaire francophone de la Colombie-Britannique
Yes, 100%. In fact, we made that very recommendation to the Senate committee. We could forward you a copy. We proposed that the Official Languages Act be amended to include the necessity of enumerating all rights holders. In order to open schools and day care centres, you have to know where those children are. The current census methodology makes that impossible, so we recommended that the short form questionnaire be amended to enumerate all rights holders under section 23 of the charter.
Liberal
Darrell Samson Liberal Sackville—Preston—Chezzetcook, NS
Thank you very much for your efforts. They have certainly stimulated and fuelled our discussions in Ottawa. Your work is very important.
My next question is for all the witnesses.
Are you aware that the federal government established a new Canada-wide multilateral agreement and is in the process of signing bilateral agreements with the provinces on early childhood development?
In fact, it is the first time in Canadian history that a provision for francophones has been included. It means that provincial governments other than Quebec's can no longer disregard French-language day care and early childhood education in minority communities. I don't think British Columbia has signed the agreement yet, but I do know that five or six provinces have. It's a major step.
Would anyone like to comment quickly on that?
President, Fédération des parents francophones de Colombie-Britannique
The agreement with our province was actually signed last week. It's a nice agreement, but we are concerned that the consultations may not have been adequate. That's what we are calling on you to address. What's more, transparency is lacking. We'd like a modernized act to include a standing provision requiring provinces and territories to take action in that regard.
Liberal
Darrell Samson Liberal Sackville—Preston—Chezzetcook, NS
You just confirmed that Canada and British Columbia have signed the early childhood development agreement, which actually contains a provision that guarantees investments in francophone minority communities.
President, Fédération des parents francophones de Colombie-Britannique
It does not provide any set amounts.
Liberal
Darrell Samson Liberal Sackville—Preston—Chezzetcook, NS
It does not set out specific amounts, but you have to start somewhere.
Since we're short on time, I'm going to move on to another question. This one is for the Collège Éducacentre representatives.
Do you know whether any other Canadian universities offer early childhood development programs? If so, do you think they would be willing to share them? For instance, Université Sainte-Anne and Université de Moncton have programs with practical components.
President, Educacentre College
Thank you for the question. If I may, however, I'd like to comment on the question before.
We help people re-enter the workforce. Although the bilateral agreements contain language clauses, we have found that their implementation does not support development in the true sense. My concern is inadequate implementation. I don't want to speak for the representatives of the Fédération des parents francophones de Colombie-Britannique, but I think they share that concern.
Liberal
Darrell Samson Liberal Sackville—Preston—Chezzetcook, NS
I respect that, but without the clauses, it would be impossible to implement them. Now, all of us, together, have to find ways to use the strategy.
Let's talk budget for a moment. This is a feminist budget with many measures that support women. You made an important point. Women used to stay home, and when those women were francophones, they helped to advance the francophone cause by sending their children to French-language schools. The measures in the budget may throw the situation a bit off balance.
Do you have any thoughts on the budget? Have you had a chance to look at it?
Executive director, Réseau-Femmes Colombie-Britannique
It doesn't contain any details. It provides leave for new fathers, a benefit for families, not necessarily women.
From a gender-based analysis standpoint, this is a very positive budget. It's the first time we've seen a budget like this. Now, the focus will be on how it's implemented, enforced, and, above all—
Liberal
Darrell Samson Liberal Sackville—Preston—Chezzetcook, NS
Unfortunately, I'm out of time.
Thank you for all your hard work.
Liberal
François Choquette NDP Drummond, QC
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you all for being here today.
My name is François Choquette, and I represent the riding of Drummond, in the Centre-du-Québec region. I am a member of the NDP. I'll leave it at that since we already know each other fairly well.
Early childhood development is so important. As you said, you see and feel the impact it has on our communities' vitality every single day. The problems you're having here, in British Columbia, are even more extensive and complicated than they are elsewhere in the country, and something has to be done.
We've had two roadmaps on official languages. Early childhood development was covered in the first, but disappeared from the second. We hope that, under the next action plan, early childhood development will be a priority, as we've called for.
As I listen to you describe your circumstances, I realize just how challenging things are for you. As you mentioned, because of section 23 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, you don't really have any rights when it comes to early childhood development. You'd like us to fix that problem when the Official Languages Act is amended.
Can you comment briefly on that?
Chair, Conseil scolaire francophone de la Colombie-Britannique
We have a proposal for an amended Official Languages Act. We could send it to you. Yes, action plans, protocol agreements, and multilateral frameworks are all necessary, but they aren't enough. We have a proposed amendment to the act. Of course, it's a first draft. On pages 16 and 17 of the French version of our brief, you will find a proposed amendment to the Official Languages Act to make sure that early childhood development is covered. We'll send it to you in a letter. We are proposing changes to the act with respect to the census, to make sure the census takes all of us into account.
NDP
François Choquette NDP Drummond, QC
You mentioned another problem, one I would say is more serious. Of course, we discussed the enumeration of rights holders, which poses a problem. The Standing Committee on Official Languages is trying to rectify that problem to ensure that the next census enumerates all rights holders so that you can inform your provincial government of your true needs. That is essential. There is nevertheless an even bigger problem, and I don't quite know how to refer to it. It revolves around infrastructure. It's a problem all over the country, but is even more acute in British Columbia.
What can the federal government do to help you improve your infrastructure, especially with respect to early childhood development? You said your day care centre was located in an old school portable. That is unacceptable. What can the federal government do to improve things?
Managing Director, Fédération des parents francophones de Colombie-Britannique
We would really like to see permanent solutions adopted at the federal level. It would be good to include early childhood in particular in the new roadmap for official languages, and to make it an important file, a strategic axis, like immigration and health, which are also important for the francophone community. In that way, we could access budgets or infrastructure. When new francophone schools are built, some square footage should be reserved not only for kindergarten to grade 12, but also for early childhood. We need day cares in our schools for children from 0 to 5 years of age. That is what we want. Anything that can facilitate access to that type of funding would be positive.
The vast majority of our preschool centres are in old portable structures behind the schools. When those structures need to be replaced, easier access to investments in infrastructure is needed.