Evidence of meeting #79 for Official Languages in the 44th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was businesses.
A recording is available from Parliament.
5:10 p.m.
The Clerk
If the committee adopts the motion to adjourn, it ends the debate, and it goes back to what it was doing before, that is, questioning witnesses.
5:10 p.m.
Conservative
Joël Godin Conservative Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC
However, resuming the debate at a later date is not ruled out.
5:10 p.m.
Conservative
Marc Dalton Conservative Pitt Meadows—Maple Ridge, BC
If we adjourn the debate and we can come back to it later, I agree.
5:10 p.m.
Bloc
The Vice-Chair Bloc Mario Beaulieu
The practice is that if the debate is adjourned, we can come back to it at another meeting, but not during this one.
(Motion agreed to: yeas 10, nays 0)
5:10 p.m.
Bloc
5:10 p.m.
Conservative
Joël Godin Conservative Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC
Mr. Traynor, what indicators does your organization use to determine whether your investments are having a positive effect on the development of French in the territory?
5:10 p.m.
Vice-President, Policy, Planning, Communications and Northern Projects Management Office, Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency
Thank you very much.
Certainly, we work well with the Association franco-yukonnaise, as well as the other two French organizations, one in Nunavut and one in NWT.
5:10 p.m.
Conservative
Joël Godin Conservative Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC
Excuse me, Mr. Traynor. I do not want to interrupt you or not respect you.
My question is this: what indicators does your organization use to measure the effectiveness of its investments in the francophone organizations in the territory?
5:10 p.m.
Vice-President, Policy, Planning, Communications and Northern Projects Management Office, Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency
The measures and results we use are with the Association franco-yukonnaise, which represents all three organizations. It gives us information on the number of job fairs it does in Quebec, for example, to encourage workers. It gives us the number of conversations and meetings it has with the municipalities in the north, as well as with entrepreneurs. Certainly, it also tells us how well it is doing as an organization, how many meetings it has and that type of information.
5:15 p.m.
Bloc
The Vice-Chair Bloc Mario Beaulieu
Thank you. Time is up.
Mr. Godin, I invite you to resume the chair.
5:15 p.m.
Conservative
The Vice-Chair Conservative Joël Godin
I thank Mr. Beaulieu for his work as chair.
I now give the floor to Mr. Samson, from the Liberal Party, who has six minutes to question the representatives of the two organizations who are with us during this first hour.
5:15 p.m.
Liberal
Darrell Samson Liberal Sackville—Preston—Chezzetcook, NS
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I thank the witnesses for being with us today. We are also happy that you are managing so well in French. That continuity is very important.
Mr. Kapoor, in your presentation, you said that 39 projects were designated as francophone or came from francophone organizations. How do you determine that? Is it by using a form in which the language is specified?
5:15 p.m.
Assistant Deputy Minister, Policy and Strategic Direction, Prairies Economic Development Canada
In general, we have a form that is offered in English or in French, in which the applicant can tell us whether they belong to an OLMC or other information we can use to verify that aspect.
5:15 p.m.
Liberal
Darrell Samson Liberal Sackville—Preston—Chezzetcook, NS
Is it determined by the fact that the form is filled out in French or is it specified somewhere that it is a francophone group?
5:15 p.m.
Assistant Deputy Minister, Policy and Strategic Direction, Prairies Economic Development Canada
In the form, the person can indicate whether they belong to an OLMC, for instance.
5:15 p.m.
Liberal
Darrell Samson Liberal Sackville—Preston—Chezzetcook, NS
Fine.
I think I understood that you had funds reserved for OLMCs. Is that correct?
5:15 p.m.
Assistant Deputy Minister, Policy and Strategic Direction, Prairies Economic Development Canada
Yes, we invest funds associated with the EDI. We are talking about $30.2 million over five years. Those are funds reserved for OLMCs.
5:15 p.m.
Liberal
Darrell Samson Liberal Sackville—Preston—Chezzetcook, NS
Fine, thank you.
Mr. Traynor, you talked about a number of projects carried out in francophone communities. The last one you mentioned was a community centre.
Can you give us more details about that investment, tell us the amount, and tell us what proportion of those funds came from your agency?
5:15 p.m.
Vice-President, Policy, Planning, Communications and Northern Projects Management Office, Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency
Certainly.
Thank you for the question.
There was approximately $350,000 for a one-year project that went to the Association des francophones du Nunavut.
5:15 p.m.
Liberal
Darrell Samson Liberal Sackville—Preston—Chezzetcook, NS
I'm only interested in [Inaudible—Editor]. You said “centre communautaire.” The last one in your—
5:15 p.m.
Vice-President, Policy, Planning, Communications and Northern Projects Management Office, Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency
Yes. That is correct.
5:15 p.m.
Vice-President, Policy, Planning, Communications and Northern Projects Management Office, Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency
It came from the Canada community revitalization fund, so it was from our agency in addition to the normal funds we get through the EDI.
5:15 p.m.
Liberal
Darrell Samson Liberal Sackville—Preston—Chezzetcook, NS
Yes. Those were the funds given toward that centre.
5:15 p.m.
Vice-President, Policy, Planning, Communications and Northern Projects Management Office, Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency
That's correct.