Evidence of meeting #114 for Official Languages in the 44th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was funding.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Liberal
Darrell Samson Liberal Sackville—Preston—Chezzetcook, NS
Thank you very much. That's important.
My next question is for both school boards.
Have you been consulted?
For example, Canadian Heritage consults each province and territory to discuss French-language education in general. Have the provinces invited you to the table so you can outline your priorities as a school board?
Director of Administrative and Financial Services, Commission scolaire de langue française de l'Île-du-Prince-Édouard
During the consultation that was conducted on the new official languages in education program agreement with Prince Edward Island, the province indicated that it had considered our strategic plan, but we weren't consulted directly.
Liberal
Darrell Samson Liberal Sackville—Preston—Chezzetcook, NS
I see. You weren't consulted.
Was New Brunswick not consulted either?
Administrative Manager, District Education Councils (Francophone Sector), Fédération des conseils d'éducation du Nouveau-Brunswick
The school boards were consulted by the Department of Education.
Liberal
Darrell Samson Liberal Sackville—Preston—Chezzetcook, NS
That's good.
Are you aware that there's an agreement among Canadian Heritage, the Fédération des conseils scolaires francophones, the Fédération des communautés francophones et acadienne du Canada and the Commission nationale des parents francophones that concerns early childhood issues? According to the signed agreement, during the funding negotiations between Canadian Heritage and the provinces, the school boards' priorities will be expressed and considered.
Are you aware of that?
Director of Administrative and Financial Services, Commission scolaire de langue française de l'Île-du-Prince-Édouard
I'm aware of the agreement as a whole. As for negotiations, some discussions are under way, but, as I mentioned earlier, funding is so closely linked to current resources that we can't undertake certain initiatives unless we remove more than 1,375 teachers from classrooms.
Liberal
Darrell Samson Liberal Sackville—Preston—Chezzetcook, NS
Thank you. I'd just like to know if the consultations are under way.
I'm speaking to both school boards.
Is funding based on the current number of students or on the number of students in the previous year?
Director General, Commission scolaire de langue française de l'Île-du-Prince-Édouard
Right now, our funding is based on the number of students as of September 30 of the previous year.
Liberal
Darrell Samson Liberal Sackville—Preston—Chezzetcook, NS
Oh, that must hurt, mustn't it?
How many more students are there in your school board this year?
Director General, Commission scolaire de langue française de l'Île-du-Prince-Édouard
Our school board has expanded over the past seven years. We have 400 more students.
Liberal
Darrell Samson Liberal Sackville—Preston—Chezzetcook, NS
That's 400 more students in the past seven years, but how many more are there this year? Are there 50 or 60 more?
Director General, Commission scolaire de langue française de l'Île-du-Prince-Édouard
Yes, it's usually about that number.
Liberal
Darrell Samson Liberal Sackville—Preston—Chezzetcook, NS
That represents 10% of funding for the 50 or 60 more students; that means that you're already automatically underfunded. You have a $600,000 shortfall. That amounts to approximately $10,000 per student. If there are 60 more students, your school board should therefore receive an additional $600,000. However, that amount wasn't paid because funding is based on the number of students from the previous year. The anglophone school boards are the winners here because their funding is based on the previous year, even if their population declines.
In Nova Scotia, we've managed to make a change by increasing funding by $3 million.
Now I'll go to the representatives of the Fédération des conseils d'éducation du Nouveau‑Brunswick.
Is your funding based on the number of students from the previous year or from the current year?
Administrative Manager, District Education Councils (Francophone Sector), Fédération des conseils d'éducation du Nouveau-Brunswick
The budget is based on the number of students from the previous year. So the numbers from 2023–2024 are currently being used.
Liberal
Administrative Manager, District Education Councils (Francophone Sector), Fédération des conseils d'éducation du Nouveau-Brunswick
Yes, absolutely.
Some adjustments have been made, however.
Liberal
Darrell Samson Liberal Sackville—Preston—Chezzetcook, NS
That must really hurt because you just explained to my colleagues opposite that the number of students increased. The students in the previous year who are in the classroom aren't being funded, and you have to find money elsewhere to accommodate those poor students, who are entitled to a French-language education under section 23 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
Mr. Chair, do I have any more time to ask questions? Have I used up my speaking time?
Liberal
The Chair Liberal René Arseneault
Mr. Samson, your intervention and questions are really excellent, but your time is up.
We will now go to our third speaker, Mr. Beaulieu, of the Bloc Québécois. He is the second vice-chair of the Standing Committee on Official Languages.
You have the floor for six minutes.
Mario Beaulieu Bloc La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thanks to our guests for being here.
My first question is for all the witnesses.
Does the provincial government currently grant funding for kindergarten and preschool programs? I'm referring to francophone child care services.
Director General, Commission scolaire de langue française de l'Île-du-Prince-Édouard
Preschool instruction isn't part of the public school system in Prince Edward Island, but I believe those institutions are funded by both the provincial and federal governments. They offer a preschool program that costs $10 a day.
Director General, Commission scolaire de langue française de l'Île-du-Prince-Édouard
There's often a shortage of spaces for francophones. Francophone day care centres are always full.
The restorative aspect of section 23 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms is very much present in Prince Edward Island because we didn't have any French schools for 30 years. Our francophone day care centres therefore need francization resources. There's also a lack of space.
Bloc
Administrative Manager, District Education Councils (Francophone Sector), Fédération des conseils d'éducation du Nouveau-Brunswick
Early childhood services are twinned in New Brunswick and have been the responsibility of the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development since 2011. Funding is provided in the preschool instruction budgets.
As our colleague from Prince Edward Island mentioned, the 2021–2026 Canada-New Brunswick Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care Action Plan also funds some of the early childhood services.
In our province, approximately half of our children should be able to receive preschool instruction in French, but they don't have any designated $10 spaces in the day care centres.
Bloc
Mario Beaulieu Bloc La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC
Earlier you said there were 11,000 rights holders. I thought that 49% of children didn't have access to French schools by and for francophones. Is that correct?