Official Languages Committee on Feb. 16th, 2022

[Glen Linder]

The plan is to examine each complaint and ensure that the situation does not reoccur. We verify our systems and transactions. We conduct thousands of transactions every day. We take it seriously. Every time a complaint is filed, we examine it. We follow it up and, in each case, try to correct the problem where there is one.

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

Thank you.

We've learned that the messages the department sends out to Canadians are full of spelling mistakes. I'm referring, for example, to emails reporting positive citizenship test results.

How do you explain that?

Have you implemented a program to solve the problem?

[Glen Linder]

Thank you.

Once again, I don't have that information on hand. However, I can assure you we're entirely aware that immigration information must be made available in both official languages and that language quality standards must be met.

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

Yes, that's what I was going to talk to you about.

[Glen Linder]

We definitely do follow up.

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

All right. Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

Thank you, Mr. Godin. You had two seconds left.

Now I will go to my friend Angelo Iacono.

Mr. Iacono, you have six minutes.

[Angelo Iacono, Liberal, Alfred-Pellan, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thanks to all the witnesses for being with us this afternoon.

I will go first to Ms. Boyer or Ms. Boily.

Can you tell us how the new version of the Official Language Act will help better equip the Commissioner to help effectively solve certain problems?

[Julie Boyer]

I'm going to turn the floor over to my colleague Sarah Boily, who has worked on those clauses of Bill C‑32.

[Sarah Boily, Director General, Official Languages, Department of Canadian Heritage]

Thank you.

I'm going to discuss what the bill proposes with respect to the powers of the Commissioner of Official Languages. The revision document released in February and Bill C‑32, which was introduced last spring, provided that the act would grant the Official Languages Commissioner four new powers.

The Commissioner would have the power, first, to make public the recommendations of the office's investigation reports; second, to enter into compliance agreements with federal entities in accordance with their wishes to determine how to resolve situations; and, third, to make orders. As you know, orders are approved by federal courts, which, once again, permits a certain type of behaviour to be expected of federal institutions.

I've cited three powers, but there's a fourth and slightly weaker power that escapes me for the moment. However, the three powers I've named are the strongest ones proposed in Bill C‑32.

[Angelo Iacono, Liberal, Alfred-Pellan, QC]

Thank you.

The advancement of French is still one of the department's major objectives.

How will the new bill help in taking a more dynamic tack to achieving that goal?

[Sarah Boily]

I'll respond to that first and then let Ms. Boyer add what she wants to say about the promotion of French.

Several measures in Bill C‑32 address the objective of protecting and promoting French. The most significant and newest are those respecting federally regulated private businesses. The government has decided that the private sector has a role to play in protecting and promoting French. Bill C‑32 would grant Canadians the right to be served in French in federally regulated private businesses. That applies both in and outside Quebec in regions with a large francophone presence. It would also grant workers in those businesses the right to work in French. Those are some of the key measures in the bill.

Other approaches have been proposed to encourage and strengthen arts and culture, which enhance the vitality of French. So the media and agencies such as telefilm Canada, Radio-Canada and the museums would continue to be supported. Those are some key examples that come to mind in connection with expanding the place of French.

[Angelo Iacono, Liberal, Alfred-Pellan, QC]

Thank you.

Would you like to add a few words, Ms. Boyer?

[Julie Boyer]

I think Ms. Boily has pretty much covered the issue.

[Angelo Iacono, Liberal, Alfred-Pellan, QC]

So funding of $121.3 million should be available in the 2021‑2022 fiscal year. How many projects have been selected to date?

How many of them are under way?

Which provinces and territories have committed to using that funding to carry out projects ?

[Julie Boyer]

First of all, we're in the process of negotiating agreements with the provinces and territories to transfer that funding so they can implement the projects we agree on in an action plan.

We'll be able to provide you with that information once that work and those negotiations are complete.

[Angelo Iacono, Liberal, Alfred-Pellan, QC]

Thank you.

Mr. Chair, how much time do I have left?

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

You have one minute and 20 seconds left.

[Angelo Iacono, Liberal, Alfred-Pellan, QC]

Thank you.

My next question is for Ms. Prince.

Under the settlement program, the Department of Citizenship and Immigration has allocated $835 million to the provinces and territories, excluding Quebec, to assist newcomers. Among other things, that settlement funding is being used to support francophone communities outside Quebec.

Would you please cite a few examples of how that support is taking shape?

[Corinne Prince, Acting Assistant Deputy Minister, Settlement and Integration, Department of Citizenship and Immigration]

Thank you for your question.

We have a number of tools under the francophone immigration strategy, starting with promotion and attracting newcomers to Canada. It all starts outside Canada, in the francophone countries of origin. We also have several tools for selection and settlement purposes, including granting citizenship.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

Pardon me for interrupting, Ms. Prince, but time is up. You may continue in response to other questions later on.

[Corinne Prince]

Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

Sometimes I have to interrupt people, as politely as possible, to give everyone a chance to speak.

We 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.

My first question is for the Department of Canadian Heritage people.

I've noticed in the public accounts that, among the projects funded for Quebec, the development of English-language minorities program, the enhancement of official languages program and the official languages in health program are the only ones to date that offer support projects for the anglophone community.

Is that true?

[Sarah Boily]

If I correctly understand your question, you want to know if the official languages support programs benefit Quebec francophones.