Official Languages Committee on April 22nd, 2021

[Terry Duguid, Liberal, Winnipeg South, MB]

Mr. Arseneault.

[René Arseneault, Liberal, Madawaska—Restigouche, NB]

Thank you, Mr. Duguid.

I'd like to return to the question I asked earlier about rights holders and the new census form.

Mr. Forgues and Mr. Landry, will this federal government initiative protect and promote OLMCs in Canada?

[Rodrigue Landry]

It's a measure that will give us an accurate picture of the situation.

As I was saying earlier, simply having more rights holders is not going to change anything about the situation. If the children don't go to the schools, the attendance rates might even drop.

[René Arseneault, Liberal, Madawaska—Restigouche, NB]

Thank you, Mr. Landry.

My next question is for Mr. Landry or Mr. Forgues.

You spoke earlier about community bases and the intergenerational transmission of the language. Which of the vitality factors should our OLMCs focus on? What should the different levels of government do to solidify this base?

[Rodrigue Landry]

We have an action plan on official languages, but we have no plan for communicating with the main stakeholders, who are the parents. During my short introductory remarks, I mentioned that one of the factors that has been contributing to poor communication is that we are neglecting the main players. The federal government should keep parents informed.

Research has indisputably shown that when the emphasis is placed on the weaker language, children become extremely bilingual. We educate 80% of children in French and their English is as proficient as that of anglophones. They therefore become more bilingual. Parents need to be informed of this.

[The Chair, Liberal, Emmanuel Dubourg]

Thank you, Mr. Landry and Mr. Arseneault.

The bells are still ringing; we have 17 minutes left before we need to vote. To remain on schedule, I'm going to allow two minutes for Mr. Beaulieu and two minutes for Mr. Boulerice.

Mr. Beaulieu, you have the floor for two minutes.

[Mario Beaulieu, Bloc, La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC]

Yesterday on the CBC we heard about a litany of complaints from Mr. Conrad Tittley. There has also been a study showing that 40% of francophone public servants are not comfortable working in French in regions that are designated bilingual. We were told that Canada's Commissioner of Official Languages will have more powers after the act is modernized.

Why then can the government not strengthen measures on the use of French for its own public servants ? What's preventing it from acting when it's the boss?

[Éric Forgues]

I believe that it's important to meet the challenge head on. It's often about changing the organizational culture. When people are part of a mainly anglophone group, certain dynamics become established. If these dynamics are to be reversed and replaced by a culture that provides equal space for French and English, then this fact needs to be taken seriously and it's essential to invest resources and time.

I don't believe that we've fully tackled the problem yet. It needs to be done, if we're willing to invest all the resources required.

[Mario Beaulieu, Bloc, La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC]

Does this mean that the political will is not there? The Official Languages Act has been there for 52 years, and we still haven't managed to make francophone public servants in Quebec feel at ease working in French. They sometimes go so far as to say that there is systemic discrimination.

I believe that firm action is needed. The problem stems from the fact that people can work in the language of their choice. In regions that are mainly francophone, French should come first; otherwise English will become the official language of work, as shown by the current situation.

[The Chair, Liberal, Emmanuel Dubourg]

Thank you for your comments, Mr. Beaulieu.

We don't have much time left.

I'll give Mr. Boulerice two minutes.

[Alexandre Boulerice, NDP, Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I'd like to return earlier to the immigration issue raised earlier by Ms. Martinez Ferrada. The 4% objective for francophone immigration was discussed. For years now, the Quebec government of has been selecting its own economic immigrants, who are in the vast majority of immigrants, and can include a knowledge of French among its selection criteria. For example, being able to speak French gives applicants extra points.

What would be the best tool for provinces like New Brunswick and Manitoba to be able to select immigrants on the basis of their French-language proficiency, so that they can strengthen minority language communities?

Could you field this one, Mr. Landry, or perhaps one of the other witnesses?

[Rodrigue Landry]

First of all, I believe that immigration raises a problem that no one has mentioned, the possibility of a perverse impact. We know that immigrants go to big cities, but that's where assimilation is strongest. We can't expect immigrants who undergo francization as a result of contact with other francophones to be any more resistant to assimilation than old-stock francophones. So the danger of a perverse reaction remains.

I'd like to talk again about the importance of properly integrating immigrants. For example, if we allowed more immigrants to settle in locations where the French language is already relatively strong, they would help to preserve French. I'm not saying they shouldn't settle in the big cities, but it would require complex gymnastics.

[The Chair, Liberal, Emmanuel Dubourg]

You have only 10 seconds left, Mr. Boulerice.

[Alexandre Boulerice, NDP, Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie, QC]

In that case, I wish everyone a good vote.

[The Chair, Liberal, Emmanuel Dubourg]

Thanks, we'll stop now.

I'd like to thank all the witnesses for having contributed to the study we are currently working on. It has been very interesting. I would also like to remind you that you you can send us your briefs through the clerk.

On behalf of all the committee members and myself, I would like to thank the representatives of the Assemblée de la francophonie de l'Ontario, Mr. Carol Jolin, President, Mr. Peter Hominuk, Executive Director, and Mr. Bryan Michaud, Policy Analyst. I would also like to thank Mr. Éric Forgues, the Executive Director of the Canadian Institute for Research on Linguistic Minorities, as well as Mr. Rodrigue Landry, Professor Emeritus, Université de Moncton and former Director General, of the Canadian Institute for Research on Linguistic Minorities, who appeared as an individual.

Thanks also go to committee staff—the analyst, the clerk and the entire team.

On that note, I too wish us all a good vote.

The meeting is adjourned.