Official Languages Committee on June 9th, 2023

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

I call the meeting to order.

Welcome to meeting number 63 of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Official Languages. Pursuant to Standing Order 108(3) and the motion adopted by the committee on April 21, 2023, the committee is meeting to continue its study on increased francophone immigration to Canada.

I would like to inform the committee that all members and witnesses have completed the required connection tests prior to the meeting and that everything is working, except for one member. We'll make sure that Ms. Ashton can join us, and that she will also have the right to speak, as a full member of the committee.

I'd like to welcome the officials. First of all, we welcome Mr. Desruisseaux and Mr. Jacques from the Department of Citizenship and Immigration. They have become regulars on the committee. Mr. Jacques joins us by videoconference directly from Paris. Then we have Ms. Boyer and Ms. Boily, from the Department of Canadian Heritage. They, too, are regulars, and we appreciate their wise counsel. Thank you again for answering our questions.

Before diving into the heart of the matter, I'd just like to pass two budgets.

[Marilyn Gladu, Conservative, Sarnia—Lambton, ON]

On a point of order.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

You have the floor, Ms. Gladu.

[Marilyn Gladu, Conservative, Sarnia—Lambton, ON]

Excuse me, but the interpretation isn't working.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

Maybe I'm talking too fast.

Is the interpretation working now?

Ms. Gladu, can you hear me?

[Marilyn Gladu, Conservative, Sarnia—Lambton, ON]

No, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

Okay, I'll speak in English. Does it work in French, though? If I speak in English, does translation—

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

On a point of order, Mr. Chair. I can't hear you.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

We will suspend the meeting for a few moments to resolve the problem.

There's a technical issue here in the room, so it's not for the people who are online right now.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

We'll resume the meeting. Everything seems to be working.

Before we go any further, there are two budget requests for the committee's approval. The clerk has forwarded them to you.

[Joël Godin, Conservative, Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC]

Mr. Chair, are we in camera?

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

No, we're not. These are operating budgets for the committee itself. This includes expenses for bringing in witnesses, for example. There's one for $16,200 and another for $2,250. You've all received the documents.

Is there unanimous consent to adopt both budget requests?

[Some hon. members]

: Agreed.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

No one objects, so we have unanimous consent.

Mr. Godin, you have the floor.

[Joël Godin, Conservative, Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC]

I'd like to move a motion. Would you prefer that I do it before or after the testimony?

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

Would it be okay if we took the last 10 minutes to talk about it?

[Joël Godin, Conservative, Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC]

The important thing is that I'm able to do it. I'm counting on you, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

Okay. I'll hear from you at 9:30 a.m.

[Joël Godin, Conservative, Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC]

Okay. Noted.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

We've wanted these officials to testify for a long time. They're with us now, either online or in person.

[Joël Godin, Conservative, Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC]

Let's hurry up then.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

We'll start with Mr. Desruisseaux, followed by his colleague, Mr. Jacques.

Gentlemen, you have the floor for five minutes.

[Alain Desruisseaux, Director General, Francophone Immigration Policy and Official Languages Division, Department of Citizenship and Immigration]

Thank you, Mr. Chair and members of the committee.

I would like to begin by acknowledging that I join today's meeting from the traditional unceded territory of the Anishinabe Algonquin Nation.

With regard to the study currently under way, I am pleased to tell you more about one of the seven measures proposed through the Action Plan on Official Languages 2023-28, namely the creation of the Centre for Innovation in Francophone Immigration in Dieppe, New Brunswick, including the implementation of a new grants and contributions program to support francophone immigration.

For the purpose of creating the centre and its programming, $25 million in funding over five years will help to capitalize on the expertise of francophone minority communities and facilitate their involvement in the testing of innovative projects with key partners in order to resolve barriers to francophone immigration, particularly with regard to the promotion of the communities internationally, the identification, support and recruitment of French-speaking applicants.

The centre's activities will strengthen the francophone lens in immigration programs, which will improve program outcomes with respect to the selection and admission of French-speaking applicants. These activities will also make immigration programs more accessible in order to increase the number of French-speaking applicants selected, and will better meet the labour needs of the various sectors of the Canadian economic. Ultimately, the centre's activities will foster demographic growth and economic development in francophone minority communities.

The centre's team members are in the process of operationalizing this program in order to launch it in the fall of 2023. The department has already begun engaging with various key stakeholders to inform them of this program's opportunities.

With that, I'd be happy to answer any questions from the committee.

I now turn the floor over to Mr. Jacques.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

Go ahead, Mr. Jacques.

[Olivier Jacques, Area Director, Southern Europe and Maghreb, Department of Citizenship and Immigration]

Thank you, Mr. Chair and members of the committee.

I am pleased to present to the Standing Committee on Official Languages on Destination Canada Mobility Forum.

Destination Canada is an event promoting francophone immigration. The objective is to introduce francophone communities across Canada, and federal and provincial immigration programs to people planning to live and work in Canada.

From the first edition of the forum in Paris in 2003, there were many booths. These included those of the provinces, representatives of francophone organizations, members of the networks of the Federation of Francophone and Acadian Communities, or FCFA, and the Economic Development Network, or RDÉE Canada. A few hundred applicants were also present to meet them.

With the COVID‑19 pandemic, Destination Canada went virtual, and the organizing team designed a fully online activity for February 2021. Without geographical border, 170,000 applicants asked to participate. After selection, 13,000 participated live to chat or videoconference with exhibitors.

With the return of face-to-face activities in 2022, we wanted to keep the advantages of virtual while returning to the in-person meetings requested by exhibitors and applicants. It was therefore a hybrid edition that took place in November 2022, again in Paris, but for the first time in Rabat, Morocco, with also three days online.

Among the 370 exhibitors present at 63 booths, I would highlight the presence of seven provincial governments and a delegation of 20 representatives of francophone communities, whose attendance was funded by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, or IRCC. The November 2023 edition of Destination Canada Mobility Forum will once again be hybrid: in Paris, Rabat and online. In 2024, we are planning to organize the event in sub-Saharan Africa, in Cameroon to be more precise.

I would like to point out that Destination Canada Mobility Forum is part of a set of promotional activities organized by IRCC abroad. Approximately 270 activities take place each year to promote immigration to provinces and territories other than Quebec among French-speaking applicants.

I thank you for your attention and will be happy to answer your questions.