Official Languages Committee on Oct. 25th, 2022

[Marc Serré, Liberal, Nickel Belt, ON]

I see you do not have a budget for training in French as a second language.

I don't know if you understand our frustration. In some countries, there are two, three or even four languages, but in Canada we are struggling to have two. So why is this so difficult for you? You agree with the principle of the official languages, but you do not accept that it applies to you. That is what I'm trying to understand.

[Daniel-Robert Gooch]

Our ports are striving to fulfill the requirements of the Official Languages Act. It's not just about money; it's also about the availability of training. Under federal institutions, there's funding available for French language training. It isn't available to port authorities. Even if it was available, would they be able to find it? Would they be able to find the employees?

Port authorities are competing with federal organizations with a very generous pension and benefits. Port authorities are operating at arm's length from government. It was an intentional decision of the Government of Canada to put entrepreneurial spirit into the administration of the port authorities. They are doing their best to fulfill their significant mandates for trade, but at the same time respect the requirements for official languages.

[Marc Serré, Liberal, Nickel Belt, ON]

Thank you very much.

Ms. Anderson and Mr. Racine, thank you for your presentation.

You said that Bill C‑13 has to be passed as quickly as possible since it has greater force and includes measures for francophone minority communities.

Can you tell us how the action plan is related to Bill C‑13? We would like to strengthen the action plan in order to support communities. In your opinion, why should Bill C‑13 be passed as quickly as possible so we can then move on to the action plan?

[Gillian Anderson]

I will begin, and will then hand it over to my excellent executive director.

As to the continuum in education, it is clearly very important for linguistic clauses to be incorporated into the agreements as quickly as possible. We must strengthen the continuum in education starting with early childhood, because the young people we are losing now will not come back later on. So we have to take action immediately to support children who are currently 5 and under by establishing clauses that help them stay in francophone communities. That is the main objective.

I will hand it over to Mr. Racine now.

[Jean-Luc Racine, Executive Director, Commission nationale des parents francophones]

Let me just point out that the 2018‑2023 action plan for official languages will soon expire, meaning that all the funding for francophone organizations will cease, unless we implement a new official languages action plan by then.

We would like that new action plan to draw heavily on Bill C‑13. The more quickly that bill is passed, the greater its impact on the action plan. Moreover, the new act will legitimize the action plan.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

You have 40 seconds left, Mr. Serré.

[Marc Serré, Liberal, Nickel Belt, ON]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Ms. Anderson, you talked about linguistic clauses and the differences in early childhood agreements between 2017 and now. Can you give us any examples of current early childhood linguistic clauses in terms of functioning and operations? The provinces seem to have different ideas of what a linguistic clause is.

[Gillian Anderson]

I will let Mr. Racine answer that.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

You have to answer in less than 10 seconds, Mr. Racine.

[Jean-Luc Racine]

I will surely be able to come back to this. I have some very specific examples that illustrate the importance of linguistic clauses. Without them, there is no support for communities.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

Thank you very much, Mr. Racine.

[Marc Serré, Liberal, Nickel Belt, ON]

Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

I will now give the floor to our second vice-chair, Mr. Beaulieu, for six minutes.

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

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you to the witnesses who have come to help us improve Bill C‑13.

My first question is for the representatives of the Commission nationale des parents francophones.

I read the study entitled “Où sont passés les milliards $”, published in 1996. It provides a review of the official languages in education program. It notes that the program was initially intended to provide some redress after the long-standing prohibition of French schools. The French-language education system outside Quebec was very poor at that time.

One of the study's conclusions regarding the funding provided from 1970 to 1988 is that just 28.5% of the funding went to francophones outside Quebec for education in their first language. The anglophones of Quebec, on the other hand, which already had an over-funded system, received 47.7% of the funding for their schools. For second language education, it was 14.3% outside Quebec and 9.5% in Quebec. The study said that this really hurt francophones, who assimilated quickly and did not receive enough funding, since most of it went to the anglophones of Quebec.

Can you elaborate on that?

[Jean-Luc Racine]

I will take that question, Ms. Anderson, if I may.

I would say that is precisely why we need linguistic clauses. All the funding in Canada is channelled through provincial and territorial agreements. Without linguistic clauses, we will certainly not get our fair share, and we will not be able to say that we did not get our fair share if it is not spelled out in the agreement.

Let me give you a very specific example. This might answer two questions at the same time.

British Columbia signed an agreement in 2021. The provincial government undertook to spend $11.3 million on indigenous day care services, which we are very pleased about. We are not complaining at all because it is very good news. On the other hand, do you know what they promised francophones? They promised to consult them, that's it.

This is what is happening now, which is why we need strong linguistic clauses with specific targets. We need commitments. The government of British Columbia is willing to make commitments to the first nations, which is very good, but why is it not willing to make commitments to francophones?

Let me give you another example. In 2017, in the first agreement, the government was supposed to consult francophones. Do you know when it met with francophones? They met in April 2022. Between 2017 and 2022, there was not a single meeting or consultation, and there was no funding for francophones.

In order to avoid a repeat of what you are telling us, we need clear linguistic clauses with specific targets. The experience on the ground in Manitoba has shown that when the provincial government makes a firm commitment, we get results. When it is vague and unclear, we do not get any results. That is reality. That is what we see in practice.

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

A very good observation.

Do you represent Quebec as well, or just francophones outside Quebec?

[Jean-Luc Racine]

Francophones outside Quebec only.

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

From what I have seen in the white book and in Bill C‑13, the government appears to be committed to increasing funding to French immersion schools, but there is not the same commitment to French-language schools.

Based on what various stakeholders have said, while immersion schools are not a negative thing, francophone parents feel they contribute a great deal to assimilation.

Shouldn't there be commitments to increase funding for French-language schools?

[Jean-Luc Racine]

Definitely. We will see that in the next official languages action plan. Specific requests have been made in that regard. We shall see what comes of it. We are hopeful.

But we also hope to see this for early childhood education. There is funding, but it needs to be structured.

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

If it were in Bill C‑13, there might be greater certainty.

[Jean-Luc Racine]

Yes.

I think Bill C‑13 already recognizes the importance of the continuum in education. To our minds, that continuum extends from early childhood to post-secondary education, and includes primary and secondary schools.

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

In my opinion, I think we have to start by providing adequate funding for schools and post-secondary education, by and for francophones.

[Jean-Luc Racine]

Exactly, and early childhood and post-secondary education at the same time.

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

Quite right.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

You have less than 30 seconds left, Mr. Beaulieu.