Official Languages committee  No, there's a strong feeling of frustration. You're talking about people on a volunteer board who are told that while last year we had them buy into these 10 points, now, because of the bureaucracies and the delays and so forth, we're only going to be doing five of them. That leads to frustration for the staff, and it leads to frustration for the volunteers who get involved with these organizations, expecting results, only to be told that they're only going to be able to do half, or that the money came so late that it was cut in half.

Official Languages committee  It's ironic, Mr. Godin and Mr. Chong, that the 25% that comes on April 1 does not mean guaranteed funding for the year. It's 25% about which maybe three months later they would decide, sorry, you weren't supposed to get that. We don't know what it is 25% of, but we get the 25%. Then after three months we run out of that.

Official Languages committee  Thank you.

Official Languages committee  People are always asking us how long the delays are, but ultimately it always the minister who decides and who has to sign off on an application. However, if an organization has received approval from the minister for a three-year project, why does that organization have to wait every year for the funding to come in?

Official Languages committee  Before reviewing projects, we have to settle the matter of regular budgets.

Official Languages committee  Mr. Blaney, I would like to make a clarification regarding Mr. D'Amours's question. The deadline for submitting a project is October. As for basic funding, that is in November and December. We do not look at project applications before reviewing all basic funding applications, that is, applications for a regular budget.

Official Languages committee  Well, we've already talked about--

Official Languages committee  When we say “systemic problems”, it's year in and year out, for sure. It's the delays. Mr. Godin will remember when we were here four months ago. At one point I said a cash advance that's normally due to organizations on April 1, at 25%, is not a cash advance when it comes in June or July.

Official Languages committee  In the six years that I've been involved, it has been every year.

Official Languages committee  To answer your question, I would say no, because the deadlines in the last three or four years have moved from January to December, and now we're told it's November.

Official Languages committee  Multi-year, yes.

Official Languages committee  That would be the minimum required, because that is the primary reason why there are delays. Heather talked about a line of credit. Some organizations do have one, but they are in the minority. In summer, we visit the bank in order to obtain a line of credit—and for the time being, we are not talking about interest charges.

Official Languages committee  Thank you, Chairman Blaney. Ladies and gentlemen, mesdames et monsieurs, —I would like to inform you, if you have a copy of the statement in French—

Official Languages committee  We made some changes to the French version of the statement. We will be sending the official version today or tomorrow morning. The English version includes all of the changes that we have made over the past two days. The Quebec Community Groups Network is obviously pleased to have this opportunity to address the Standing Committee on Official Languages again.

Official Languages committee  I simply want to say that I completely agree with Lise on what she just explained. I've been coming here for three years, and we always talk about the same things, such as delays and the problems they cause. In fact, these are vulnerable organizations because budgets are fairly limited.