Official Languages Committee on March 30th, 2022

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

I see that everyone agrees; that's good. Then we will continue.

Ms. Lattanzio, you have the floor for six minutes.

[Patricia Lattanzio, Liberal, Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel, QC]

Thank you for being here, Mr. Commissioner. It's always a pleasure to see you amongst us.

With regard to your study on the francophone immigration target outside of Quebec that has yet to be reached for the 2023 deadline, which you released in November 2021, what are the ongoing challenges you see accounting for our not being able to meet the target?

[Raymond Théberge]

There are a number of challenges that we've identified in the study, which focused on francophone permanent residents.

There are a number of immigration pathways, and I think we have issues in a number of them. For example, with the economic immigration class, we should be focusing on a francophone immigrant class. We have a significant number of refugees who come to Canada and establish themselves in francophone communities. It is a very important source of immigration, so when we think of refugee policy, we also have to think about how we meet our official languages commitments with respect to the communities.

We have issues with international students and study permits in how they can transition from temporary to permanent residence.

We also have issues in recruitment and where we look for and try to find immigrants. We know where there are significant pools of French speakers, whether they are in sub-Saharan Africa or northern Africa. We have to look at those particular regions and try to focus on a strategy that allows us to go where the francophones are.

There are other issues with francophone immigration, like language testing.

In the past, we have not put together the kind of global plan to specifically attack francophone immigration. It's always been, in my view, an add-on to other programs, so we have to be more specific and more targeted in how we do things.

[Patricia Lattanzio, Liberal, Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel, QC]

I understand.

I think your input on what you would like to see in the francophone immigration strategy policy could be useful to us. Perhaps your report may point us in that direction. If there are any other measures or ideas you have, please submit them to us in this committee. We would most likely study them and forward them to the immigration minister.

I know there was an idea at this committee, where a member had suggested that immigrants not come to us but that we in Canada go to them, such that we would have people from the government go to different countries to alleviate the very expensive costs that sometimes people have to incur to be able to make a request to come here to Canada so that this work would be done on foreign territory.

I want to know your opinion on that.

[Raymond Théberge]

We have in place certain recruitment strategies that, whether it's—

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

Pardon me for interrupting, Commissioner. The interpreters are asking that you move your mic away from your mouth.

Ms. Lattanzio, I'm pausing your time.

[Patricia Lattanzio, Liberal, Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel, QC]

Mr. Chair, are you speaking to me or to the Commissioner?

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

I'm speaking to the Commissioner.

[Raymond Théberge]

All right.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

Commissioner, your mic is still too close to your mouth…

[Raymond Théberge]

Is this better now?

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

Please continue speaking. I'll interrupt you if necessary.

[Raymond Théberge]

Is this better?

I'll try to answer the question.

We have in place a certain way of doing business, and I think we've been doing it the same way for a long—

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

That's perfect.

I'll restart the clock. Three minutes and thirty-eight seconds have elapsed so far.

[Raymond Théberge]

Circling back to the question, we have in place a number of strategies that have been used for many years. Maybe one of the ways to consider is how we recruit on the ground. I'm not an expert in how we recruit immigrants, but it's important that we reach out in those regions where there are important numbers of French speakers who have an interest in moving to Canada.

[Patricia Lattanzio, Liberal, Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel, QC]

What role do provinces play in attaining the targets?

[Raymond Théberge]

Immigration is a shared jurisdiction. The kind of relationship the provinces have with the federal government varies greatly from province to province, as you know—

[Patricia Lattanzio, Liberal, Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel, QC]

Yes, in some parts.

[Raymond Théberge]

—Quebec and the federal government have their own agreements.

[Patricia Lattanzio, Liberal, Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel, QC]

Right.

[Raymond Théberge]

So I think it's important that when there are discussions between various jurisdictions, we take into consideration the francophone minorities. In other words, when we talk about nomination programs or the numbers in nomination programs, we should be thinking about what the needs of the francophone communities are. Since it's a shared jurisdiction, it's important that both parties play an active role in promoting francophone immigration in their province or territory.

[Patricia Lattanzio, Liberal, Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel, QC]

Okay, and with regard to obligations, my colleague mentions the obligation of result. I would like to bring you along the obligation of means.

Do you think we should subject the policy or the questions that are submitted to you to attract francophone immigration to an obligation of means rather than an obligation of result?

[Raymond Théberge]

I think we should acquire the means to achieve our ambitions.

[Patricia Lattanzio, Liberal, Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel, QC]

Thank you.

I have no more questions, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

Thank you, Ms. Lattanzio.

We now go to the next round of questions. I give the floor to the second vice-chair of the Standing Committee on Official Languages.

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