Evidence of meeting #6 for Official Languages in the 45th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was institutions.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Yvan Baker
Thank you, Mr. Godin and Mr. Bélanger.
I now give the floor to Mr. Deschênes‑Thériault for five minutes. He will be the last to ask this panel questions.
Conservative
Joël Godin Conservative Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC
I have a point of order, Mr. Chair.
I would like to take a minute after the meeting to ask you and the committee members a question, so time should be set aside for that purpose.
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Liberal
Guillaume Deschênes-Thériault Liberal Madawaska—Restigouche, NB
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
The Action Plan for Official Languages enables us to fund various sectors that are important to community vitality. In 2018, after a decade of stagnant official languages funding under the previous Conservative government, there was a significant increase in funding. In 2023, increased funding enabled us to do things such as provide more money to the early childhood education sector.
The Association des collèges et universités de la francophonie canadienne received funding for some of its member institutions and to implement innovative teacher training programs.
I would like the ACUFC representatives to comment on the importance of federal funding to supporting francophone early childhood education.
Can you share concrete examples of current projects and tell us how they impact francophone communities?
Program Manager, Early Childhood Education, Association des collèges et universités de la francophonie canadienne
I touched on that earlier. It's important to fund the development of programs that recognize the unique characteristics of minority francophone communities. Official language educators in minority communities have a dual mandate. They support children's overall development, but they also transmit language and culture so as to form children's identity. That's why it's important to have programs that take that into account.
Let's look at a very specific example.
In British Columbia, the Collège Éducacentre offered an early childhood education program that was a translation of an anglophone program. I believe that program was offered until 2023, but it didn't take the unique characteristics of minority francophone communities into account. Thanks to federal funding administered by the ACUFC, we were able to design a program specifically for British Columbia's francophone community. Collège Éducacentre now offers a francophone program that is not merely a translation. It was actually developed specifically for the early childhood milieu in British Columbia. That's just one of the concrete examples I can share.
We've financed some 40 initiatives. Many different innovative projects have been implemented. That's just one of many examples.
Liberal
Guillaume Deschênes-Thériault Liberal Madawaska—Restigouche, NB
Thank you, Ms. Rousseau.
I agree with you, and I want to congratulate you on all the work you're doing because that work is crucial to the vitality of our communities.
We are currently observing major regional disparities when it comes to early childhood education training capacity. What can you tell us about that?
President and Chief Executive Officer, Association des collèges et universités de la francophonie canadienne
What I would say is that we certainly would love to do more. As I told you, this is part of a much broader phenomenon related to the availability of infrastructure and internship programs. Our institutions are currently operating at maximum capacity. The limiting factor is what they're able to offer as work placements for students to complete their training.
We need to look at this like an ecosystem.
I'm sure that, if we could solve the internship problem, our institutions would be ready and willing to increase their program capacity, improve their infrastructure and augment resources available to people in their training programs.
We talk a lot about initial training, but we should also be talking about continuing education, which has really expanded in the network thanks to funding we've received in recent years and redistributed on the ground. Access to continuing education has been identified as a factor in staff retention at early childhood education centres. Providing access to continuing education and professional development is a way to recognize and add value to the profession.
Liberal
Guillaume Deschênes-Thériault Liberal Madawaska—Restigouche, NB
Thank you, Mr. Normand.
My last question is for Ms. Côté of Simon Fraser University.
You said earlier that over 50,000 of the people attending your institution went through French immersion. It's actually 50,000 people in British Columbia who go through French immersion. I don't have the exact figure here, but you talked about the importance of French immersion to people who attend your institution.
Can you explain to us how post-secondary studies in French help make the use of French more of a fixture in these people's everyday lives?
Liberal
Deputy Director, Office of Francophone and Francophile Affairs, and Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Education, Simon Fraser University
Thank you.
We have 55,000 kindergarten to grade 12 students in the French immersion program. In our teacher training programs, 75% of our future teachers are former immersion students, and 20% to 25% are francophones. It's clear that funding for the immersion program and a positive experience for these students prior to post-secondary studies will enable them to picture themselves as future French immersion teachers. A good 75% of our future teachers were immersion students.
When it comes to the vitality of francophone minority communities, these people play an extremely important role with respect to programs in French.
Liberal
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Yvan Baker
Thank you, Mr. Deschênes‑Thériault.
On behalf of the committee, I would like to thank all the witnesses for coming here to testify.
Before I suspend the meeting, I'll give the floor to Mr. Godin, who has a question for us.
Conservative
Joël Godin Conservative Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC
It's a short question, Mr. Chair.
As you know, during the meeting requested under Standing Order 106(4), we moved a motion to do with inviting two ministers and hearing witnesses within 21 days.
Are we in a position to put that appearance on the calendar so we can all manage our agendas accordingly? Are you able to tell us one way or the other?
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Yvan Baker
I consulted the clerk, Mr. Godin. From what I understand, she sent the invitations, but we haven't yet set a date for the ministers to appear.
Regarding the study you mentioned, I would like to remind you that, in the motion we passed, we agreed to invite witnesses.
I would therefore like to remind all parties to submit their lists of witnesses.
Conservative
Joël Godin Conservative Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC
Is there a deadline for submitting our list?
To be perfectly honest with you, Mr. Chair, we never received a request for a list of witnesses.
This is a perfectly normal process, so if we could set a specific date, we could provide you with a list of witnesses and do our job.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Yvan Baker
Certainly. It's really up to the committee to decide what is reasonable for members.
What do you suggest?
Mr. Beaulieu, go ahead.
Bloc
Mario Beaulieu Bloc La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC
I think we need to hear from six witnesses so that all parties get one. Actually, it should be eight witnesses, but eight is a lot.
Conservative
Joël Godin Conservative Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC
Mr. Chair, we need to work out some details.
First, we need to know how many witnesses are going to appear. Second, we need to decide on the distribution. Third, we need to set a date.
I think it would be reasonable to set a date by the end of next week.
I'm looking at my colleagues, but I don't see any reaction.
Conservative
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Yvan Baker
I'd like to deal with one issue at a time.
We have to figure out the date first.
Mr. Deschênes‑Thériault, you want to comment on the date.
Liberal
Guillaume Deschênes-Thériault Liberal Madawaska—Restigouche, NB
Yes, Friday of next week would be a good time.
I would also like to make an additional comment.
Liberal