Official Languages Committee on Feb. 16th, 2022

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

I suggest you allow the Liberal Party four minutes, the Conservative Party four minutes, the Bloc two minutes in the NDP two minutes.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

Is that agreeable to all members of the committee? I see it is.

If my understanding is correct, we will have periods of four minutes and two minutes.

Mr. Dalton, you have four minutes.

[Marc Dalton, Conservative, Pitt Meadows—Maple Ridge, BC]

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.

Thanks to the witnesses for being here.

I'd like to start off by discussing immersion, which is a very good way to promote French outside Quebec. However, the demand for immersion programs is much greater than what's being offered.

I know that $184 million is available over five years, but that's not a large amount if you divide it up. I'm a member from British Columbia. Based on my calculations, that will only pay the salaries of three dozen teachers a year. The demand is much greater than that.

Ms. Boyer, would you please tell us how the funding is allocated among immersion programs? Can you also tell us about teacher training in 45 seconds? I'll have more questions for you.

[Julie Boyer]

All right. I'll speak quickly.

That amount will be used to increase the number of spaces in the French immersion and French second language programs, particularly for early childhood, to follow the educational continuum. It will also be used to increase the number of teachers we can recruit and to encourage them to work in the provinces.

[Marc Dalton, Conservative, Pitt Meadows—Maple Ridge, BC]

Thank you.

I know it's not coming out of your pocket, but it's a large investment, considering the great demand.

[Julie Boyer]

It comes out of the pockets of all of us.

[Marc Dalton, Conservative, Pitt Meadows—Maple Ridge, BC]

Precisely. That's a good political answer.

I have another question. When Mélanie Joly left the Department of Canadian Heritage, she took the official languages component with her, which led to the creation of the minister of state position, which Ms. Petitpas Taylor inherited. That divided up the responsibilities.

What are the respective official language responsibilities of the Minister of Canadian Heritage and the Minister of Official Languages?

[Julie Boyer]

That's a machinery-of-government question, but I will say that, under the act, the minister responsible for official languages is still the Minister of Canadian Heritage. However, those duties are currently assigned to the Minister of Official Languages and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency.

[Marc Dalton, Conservative, Pitt Meadows—Maple Ridge, BC]

I see.

[Julie Boyer]

Minister Petitpas Taylor is responsible for official languages. I want to assure you that there has been no change in the department. The people who worked on official languages before those responsibilities were delegated to Minister Petitpas Taylor are still there and still performing the same duties.

[Marc Dalton, Conservative, Pitt Meadows—Maple Ridge, BC]

Thank you.

Delays in processing admission applications have been reported in the media. More than 1.8 million files are pending processing as a result of pandemic-related factors.

According to the minister, how many of those files concern potential francophone immigrants?

Can you answer that question, Mr. Linder?

[Glen Linder]

Thank you.

It's true that we have a very large number of immigrant files to process, but I'm sorry I don't have the exact number of francophone immigrant files with me today.

[Marc Dalton, Conservative, Pitt Meadows—Maple Ridge, BC]

Would you please send it to the committee?

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

You have 10 seconds left, Mr. Dalton.

[Marc Dalton, Conservative, Pitt Meadows—Maple Ridge, BC]

It would be good if you could send them.

Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

Thank you, Mr. Dalton.

Our next questioner is Mr. Drouin.

You have four minutes, Mr. Drouin.

[Francis Drouin, Liberal, Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON]

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.

I want to thank the witnesses for being here today.

My questions will be for the Department of Canadian Heritage representatives. We'll have an opportunity to question the Department of Citizenship and Immigration people at another meeting.

I'd like to know what Canadian Heritage thinks is the definition of official language success. I want us to talk about positive measures.

When we fund programs or events, a festival or something else, we say it's good for the francophone community. How does Canadian Heritage measure the success of a program?

[Julie Boyer]

I'll be pleased to answer that question.

The official languages support programs provide funding for events. Every time we transfer funding through contribution agreements, for example, very clear objectives respecting participation and impact are laid out in each of the agreements put in place with our interveners. That's one way of doing it.

Going back to the action plan for official languages, because I didn't have a chance to talk about it at length at the start of the meeting, how do we know whether we succeeded or were on the right track?

We conducted a mid-term evaluation to determine where we stood in implementing the action plan. The interveners and organizations said they were 85% satisfied with management of the action plan and implementation of initiatives. So I think we're on the right track as regards results.

[Francis Drouin, Liberal, Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON]

All right.

You fund programs in my riding. My community is 60% francophone. Five years ago, however, it was 66% francophone.

Yes, you funded a festival. Yes, you did that.

I imagine you're limited by the current act. We've often discussed the idea of one positive measure as opposed to many.

Do you have that kind of conversation with your counterparts, for example, with those from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, who also have to reach certain objectives.

I ask that because my community, for example, declines every year, despite your department's good intentions.

How could we legislate to ensure the federal government plays a greater coordinating role?

[Julie Boyer]

What a great question.

The beautiful thing about official languages is that it's a horizontal file. It's everybody's business. That means it doesn't just concern the Department of Canadian Heritage. It also involves my colleagues at Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.

We work very closely to implement action plan initiatives and determine how to modernize the official languages bill.

We regularly work together on many files, at high levels in the public service, and will continue to forge ahead.

Thank you for your question.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

You have 40 seconds left, Mr. Drouin.

[Francis Drouin, Liberal, Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON]

All right.

I yield my speaking time. I can't ask a question in so little time.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

Thank you, Mr. Drouin.

Our next questioner is Mr. Beaulieu.

Go ahead for two minutes, Mr. Beaulieu.

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

My first question is for the Department of Canadian Heritage representatives. I'd like to get a short answer.

Are there any parts of Bill C‑32 that would change the allocation of official languages funding in Quebec in a way that favours French?

[Julie Boyer]

Thank you for your question.

That kind of allocation is usually negotiated through an education agreement protocol. The distribution of available funding can also be negotiated with each province, although it's not something that's legislated.