Evidence of meeting #95 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 questions.
A recording is available from Parliament.
3:55 p.m.
Assistant Director, Social and Aboriginal Statistics Division, Statistics Canada
Correct me if I am wrong, but if you read my testimony before this committee, I did not say that we would not be ready in 2021. I even said that the complexity of the issue will not prevent us from being ready.
3:55 p.m.
Liberal
René Arseneault Liberal Madawaska—Restigouche, NB
What I asked you, Mr. Corbeil, is not whether it will not be ready. I asked you whether we will be ready.
3:55 p.m.
Assistant Director, Social and Aboriginal Statistics Division, Statistics Canada
We are making every effort to do that.
3:55 p.m.
Liberal
René Arseneault Liberal Madawaska—Restigouche, NB
That is the kind of answer I have heard before.
I am asking you if we will be ready for the 2021 census. That is what I want to know. Yes or no?
3:55 p.m.
Assistant Director, Social and Aboriginal Statistics Division, Statistics Canada
I don't have a crystal ball so all I can say is that we have an army of people working on it. I don't know what else I can say to convince you that we truly intend to do it. There are some things beyond our control, but I guarantee that we will do whatever we can to get there. I am committed to that.
3:55 p.m.
Liberal
René Arseneault Liberal Madawaska—Restigouche, NB
We have lost generations of francophones in schools, Mr. Corbeil. You are the messenger and we do not want to shoot the messenger, but the answer from Statistics Canada today still does not reassure me. When I leave the room today, I will still be very discouraged by what I have heard.
Tell me briefly what catastrophe there could be in 2021 that would prevent you from including questions to fully enumerate rights holders? What could happen?
3:55 p.m.
Assistant Director, Social and Aboriginal Statistics Division, Statistics Canada
Problems do arise. For example, we have tested questions in the past. At one point, we realized that people were having problems understanding the questions.
3:55 p.m.
Liberal
René Arseneault Liberal Madawaska—Restigouche, NB
How many meetings have you had since September 2017? How many times has your group of analysts, scientists, and statisticians met to discuss just the issue of rights holders?
4 p.m.
Assistant Director, Social and Aboriginal Statistics Division, Statistics Canada
We have been meeting about twice a week for the past three months.
4 p.m.
Assistant Director, Social and Aboriginal Statistics Division, Statistics Canada
On this topic.
4 p.m.
Liberal
René Arseneault Liberal Madawaska—Restigouche, NB
Who are the experts at those meetings who do not work for Statistics Canada?
4 p.m.
Assistant Director, Social and Aboriginal Statistics Division, Statistics Canada
You asked me a question about Statistics Canada.
4 p.m.
Liberal
René Arseneault Liberal Madawaska—Restigouche, NB
I understood your answer. Now I would like to know if you consult outside experts.
4 p.m.
Assistant Director, Social and Aboriginal Statistics Division, Statistics Canada
Statistics Canada has selected 15 individuals who represent all of Canadian society and who are among the top experts on the topic. The comments and suggestions we have received have been extremely relevant and extremely helpful. With that input, we think we will be able to put forward something robust.
4 p.m.
Liberal
René Arseneault Liberal Madawaska—Restigouche, NB
Please reassure me and tell me that I misunderstood because, in a letter that I read, it said that you have not had a single meeting with outside experts since we have been discussing this. Did I understand that correctly?
4 p.m.
Assistant Director, Social and Aboriginal Statistics Division, Statistics Canada
The committee's first meeting was on January 25.
4 p.m.
Liberal
René Arseneault Liberal Madawaska—Restigouche, NB
Exactly, but you were supposed to start last November, weren't you?
4 p.m.
Assistant Director, Social and Aboriginal Statistics Division, Statistics Canada
We mentioned November, but as you know, it is not easy getting everyone to the table.
4 p.m.
Liberal
René Arseneault Liberal Madawaska—Restigouche, NB
I heard that there was just one expert who spoke about the enumeration of rights holders at the meeting in January.
4 p.m.
Assistant Director, Social and Aboriginal Statistics Division, Statistics Canada
I don't know what you mean by “expert”.
4 p.m.
Liberal
René Arseneault Liberal Madawaska—Restigouche, NB
All the other people were there to talk about other questions in the form.
4 p.m.
Assistant Director, Social and Aboriginal Statistics Division, Statistics Canada
No, that is not true.
4 p.m.
Assistant Director, Social and Aboriginal Statistics Division, Statistics Canada
We have spent roughly five hours with 15 people around the table talking exclusively about rights holders.