Evidence of meeting #82 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 alberta.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Executive Director, Provincial Employment Roundtable
I would say they largely receive a mix of funding. However, most employability services are funded by the Province of Quebec. I would say our funding comes primarily from the province.
Bloc
Mario Beaulieu Bloc La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC
Do you acknowledge that, to ensure the future of French in Quebec, it's crucial that immigrants be taught French and integrated?
Executive Director, Provincial Employment Roundtable
We're focused on the English-speaking community. We don't necessarily focus on immigrants. However, one of our organization's priorities is francization, improving our system for learning French in Quebec.
We've done research on this, we've taken stock, we've asked questions to find out whether Quebec—
Bloc
Mario Beaulieu Bloc La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC
Let me go back to my question. Your study is based on the first official language a person speaks. According to the last figures I saw, it includes about a third of immigrants in Quebec. Does it also include first nations with anglophones?
Executive Director, Provincial Employment Roundtable
I'm sorry, is that a question or—
Bloc
Mario Beaulieu Bloc La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC
Yes. A number of experts and the Government of Quebec believe that, to maintain the demographic weight of francophones, it will take 90% of language transfers to successfully integrate and francize 90% of newcomers.
You believe that at least a third of immigrants who speak English or who would like to function in English are entitled to services in English. That's part of your mission.
Executive Director, Provincial Employment Roundtable
Yes, absolutely. It's clear to us that, in the English-speaking community, people are very willing to improve their French skills. In the current political context, I think that—
Executive Director, Provincial Employment Roundtable
You're asking me if we include immigrants. Immigrants whose first official language spoken is English define themselves more as anglophone than francophone Quebecers. We don't define them that way; they want to be included that way. Establishing a system in which we can welcome them in English will enable us to give them good employment services and put them in contact with resources in French.
We're working hard to develop and improve a learning system—
Bloc
Mario Beaulieu Bloc La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC
Your primary mission is to provide professional training, which you talked about earlier. You weren't talking about professional training in French, you were talking about professional training in English.
Executive Director, Provincial Employment Roundtable
We need to provide services in English to help people cope with economic challenges—
Bloc
Mario Beaulieu Bloc La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC
If professional training for newcomers is given in English, that will necessarily contribute to their anglicization and make it more difficult for them to integrate into the francophone environment.
Before going any further on this subject, I'd like to talk about something important, because our time is very limited—
Liberal
The Chair Liberal René Arseneault
One moment, please, Mr. Beaulieu.
When witnesses are interrupted, it really becomes difficult for the interpreters to do their job.
Bloc
Mario Beaulieu Bloc La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC
Okay. I will be careful.
When you presented your results, you used indicators that generally yield those kinds of results.
A person's first official language spoken is a derived variable that takes into account the mother tongue spoken most often at home and knowledge of French, among other things. It's a very broad indicator.
When we use more varied indicators, such as mother tongue, which is also that of English-speaking newcomers, the reverse happens.
In 2016, according to Statistics Canada, the average employment income was $7,800 more for anglophones, and the median employment income was $947 more.
The data from your studies apply only in the case of the first official language spoken. We don't have access to the other data yet.
Executive Director, Provincial Employment Roundtable
My colleague Mr. Walcott can give you the exact statistics.
Executive Director, Provincial Employment Roundtable
The gap is still there, if you use the mother tongue.
We use definitions such as first official language spoken because they are related to the self-determination of English-speaking Quebecers—
Executive Director, Provincial Employment Roundtable
There are a number of definitions. You're talking about specific statistics, so—
Bloc
Mario Beaulieu Bloc La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC
The median employment income somewhat excludes the diversity of incomes.
I'll let you speak, Mr. Walcott.
Chad Walcott Director of Engagement and Communications, Provincial Employment Roundtable
I will try to address all the points you raised.
In our opinion, the definition of an English-speaking Quebecer, which includes the first official language spoken variable, better demonstrates what's needed on the ground. I'll give you an example.
As part of our research, we interviewed an American who was already working a bit in Quebec and who moved elsewhere in Canada. According to him, the francization pathway for newcomers to Quebec was not adapted to his abilities. His French was already at an intermediate level and he wanted to move to an advanced level.
However, the courses currently being offered to new immigrants in Quebec are not at that level. They are actually cultural courses and core French courses, where you learn how to order a coffee, for example.
So we use the first official language spoken in our studies to take into account people whose level of French is somewhere in the middle and who need more specialized services.
When we talk about mother tongue as opposed to the first official language spoken, the most recent statistics show that the unemployment gap is maintained. The numbers are different. It's 10.5% for the anglophone community—
Director of Engagement and Communications, Provincial Employment Roundtable
The most recent figures are for 2021.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal René Arseneault
That's all the time Mr. Beaulieu has. You will be able to speak again in the next round of questions.
The next six minutes will go to Ms. Ashton, who is joining us remotely from northern Manitoba.
Go ahead, Ms. Ashton.
NDP
Niki Ashton NDP Churchill—Keewatinook Aski, MB
Good morning. Welcome to the witnesses.
My questions are for the women of the Alliance des femmes de la francophonie canadienne.
Ladies, thank you very much for your presentation, as well as the clear recommendations you made to our committee.
First, I want to say that I'm very disappointed to hear that the federal government's proposed action plan for official languages doesn't include francophone women experiencing violence. I would say that's a serious oversight that needs to be addressed as soon as possible.
A few days ago, on December 6, we honoured the memory of the victims of the Polytechnique massacre. This day serves to underscore the importance of taking action and putting an end to violence against women. As a country, we need to take action and recognize what you've told us.
In the same vein, do you support the move to have the federal government sign agreements with the provinces and territories to fund the national action plan to end gender-based violence?