Official Languages committee  You mentioned seniors. It is clear that seniors are a priority. Statistics show that the anglophone population is aging faster in Quebec than elsewhere in the country. There are efforts underway to create a seniors' network in order to determine what can be done in Quebec, from

Official Languages committee  A large number of our group of 38 member associations are in various regions. I hear stories on a daily basis about what is happening in Rouyn-Noranda, the Gaspé, or the Eastern Townships. These are individual stories that help make up communities that want to live on and —you

Official Languages committee  I know a little bit about the education money that goes into a province, having worked elsewhere with that portfolio. On the money that comes in for a minority community in any province, there is a wish on behalf of the community to.... Let's pick a number and say that $50 millio

Official Languages committee  I think the responsibility around accountability for federal money going into provincial jurisdictions could be a shared one. This is done at the political level and at the bureaucratic level. In Quebec, we have had devolution of certain programs without rigorous consideration o

Official Languages committee  Good morning, Mr. Chan, Monsieur Bélanger, Monsieur Godin, and members of the committee. The Quebec Community Groups Network is pleased to have been invited to provide testimony today. We congratulate the committee for assuming a leadership role in shaping the Government of Cana

Official Languages committee  I just wanted to say in answer to the questions around investments that I think it's important for our community, the English-speaking community, to say that investments are necessary. What are the investments? To start with, it's a new way of thinking about things--not even mon

Official Languages committee  I think it's important to say this here; we've said it before at this committee and we will continue to say it from every rooftop. We are not afraid of losing English in Quebec. It's not a question of language. It's a question of community, and so, the institutions to support the

Official Languages committee  The research is needed.

Official Languages committee  I guess this is a demonstration here for us, and when we talk about the brief. There is not a lot of research being done in English-speaking communities around why they go and what it's all about. By asking that question, I think you demonstrate how important research would be to

Official Languages committee  I think any welcoming society should have this kind of program. Whether it be anglophones, francophones--whatever “phone” you want--I think that is a way to begin to welcome--

Official Languages committee  I think what we're trying to do in Quebec is work with the province to get an understanding that this is not a zero-sum game. In fact, that's what we presented to the levels of immigration: it's not a zero-sum game. They come in, they contribute, they speak French, and they attac

Official Languages committee  No, not that I know of. There isn't any with the community.

Official Languages committee  I'd like to answer your first question, Mr. Bélanger. With regard to what we're asking, it's obvious that the province has to be involved. Moreover, in the past two years, but especially last year, an enormous amount of progress has been made by Quebec's Immigration Department o

Official Languages committee  I think the Government of Canada, if it is serious about official languages, has to give itself a challenge function that is different from that of the Commissioner of Official Languages, within government. The Commissioner of Official Languages is there for complaints and has a

Official Languages committee  I think the most important thing... Earlier, I spoke about... I spoke of focus. I think there's also a question of clarity of responsibilities. I would say that it is incredibly important to have ministerial direction and leadership in these files. But one of the big things tha