:
Mr. Chair, thank you for inviting the National Research Council to appear before the committee today. My colleague, Charles-Antoine Gauthier, and I are pleased to provide you with a report on NRC's initiative related to the Roadmap for Canada's Linguistic Duality.
With your permission, I'd like to start by telling you about the National Research Council Canada. As a research and technology organization, NRC is providing strategic research, as well as scientific and technical services to develop and deploy solutions to meet Canada's current and future industrial and societal needs. NRC has a mandate to undertake, assist or promote scientific and industrial research in different fields of importance to Canada. We do this by leveraging our talent and world-class facilities that reside across the country to create further value and wealth for Canada and to help raise the nation's level of innovation performance.
Now, more specifically about NRC's initiative on our share of the Roadmap for Canada's Linguistic Duality 2008-2013, let me begin by providing you with some background.
[English]
In March 2003, the federal government announced the action plan for official languages, known as APOL. The action plan identified the need for the language industries to invest in language technologies to compensate for the increasing shortage of the needed qualified workers. It also identified that language technology and translation industries lack the R and D capabilities and financial resources to make significant investments in the development of innovative language tools and technologies.
From April 2003 to March 2008, NRC received $10 million over five years from APOL to increase investments in research and development in language technologies. To deliver on these commitments, NRC created the new interactive language technologies group and participated in the establishment of the Language Technologies Research Centre, which I'll just refer to as the centre. It is housed on the campus of the Université du Québec en Outaouais.
The Language Technologies Research Centre was created in partnership with the Translation Bureau of Canada and the Université du Québec en Outaouais. The centre is a not-for-profit organization with the mandate to incubate and help small and medium-sized language technology firms obtain funding and other resources for internal R and D projects. The centre is now operational, and NRC played a key role in launching the R and D projects.
Through the Roadmap for Canada's Linguistic Duality 2008-2013, NRC renewed its commitment to expend $10 million over five years, meaning about $2 million per year, in R and D to support the language industry.
[Translation]
The roadmap includes a horizontal results-based management and accountability framework managed by the Department of Canadian Heritage's Official Languages Secretariat. As such, NRC reports annually on its expenditures on R&D activities in direct support of the roadmap, as well as on its progress against the performance measures.
NRC's investment was used to create and operate its R&D programs and specifically to respond to the needs of two types of clients that constitute two different segments of the broader language industry. These are language technology companies and the end users of language technologies.
Language technology companies are Canadian SMEs in the information and communication technology sector that can license the NRC technologies with the intention of developing commercial products that will be, in turn, offered to the end users.
End users include translation firms, freelance translators, as well as users of language technologies.
[English]
NRC used the majority of the funding to produce a machine translation technology called PORTAGE that actually works, meaning that it is clearly among the best products available in the world today. It is used at the Translation Bureau of Canada and at CLS Lexi-tech, the largest private sector translation bureau in Canada.
Funding was also used to produce a translation aid tool called WeBiText, which is licensed to a Montreal-based Canadian start-up company called Terminotix. While targeted at translators, WeBiText also allows anyone to find a translation for a term by looking through millions of pages of multilingual parallel text on the web. It is particularly effective on French to English and English to French because it has access to the vast number of bilingual web pages of the Government of Canada.
Over the last three years, NRC's interactive language technology group has developed or improved six core technologies and tools. The group has also filed for four patent applications to protect the intellectual property generated by these research projects, and they continue to increase the commercialization of innovative technologies.
NRC has met its immediate targets specified in the road map logic model and results structure of the horizontal results-based management and accountability framework, and that was to strengthen the capacity of the Canadian language industries through the transfer of its language technologies. The transfer of the PORTAGE machine translation system to the Translation Bureau of Canada and to CLS Lexi-Tech promises to reduce the cost of translations, and could significantly increase the capacity of the government and the private sector to work in both official languages.
NRC played a pivotal role that no other organization in Canada can play in support of language technology industries.
[Translation]
The presence in Canada of a strong language industry is an essential factor in preserving Canada's linguistic duality. Clearly NRC's contributions to language technologies were a key solution to maintaining the competitiveness of the Canadian language industry.
In conclusion, I would like to say that NRC is proud of its accomplishments in this initiative. Together with our partners, we have built a world-class team creating jobs and bringing value to the Canadian language industry by providing them with a global competitive edge. Thank you.
[English]
Thank you very much for your time.
:
Mr. Chairman, committee members, ladies and gentlemen, thank you for giving us the opportunity to be here today.
[Translation]
First, allow me to introduce my colleague, Gilles Pelletier, Director General of Regional Operations. During our appearance, we will place the implementation of the Official Languages Act in the Quebec context, we will discuss the mandate of Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions, and we will focus on how we are meeting our obligations under the Roadmap for Canada's Linguistic Duality.
[English]
First a word about the linguistic situation in Quebec.
[Translation]
Unlike the situation in the other Canadian provinces and territories, Quebec anglophones constitute the official language minority community, commonly called an OLMC. Quebec's anglophone OLMC's represent 1 million persons. Of that number, 600,000 have English as their mother tongue, 400,000 are allophones, and approximately 30,000 are aboriginal.
There is a notable concentration of anglophones in Quebec: 80% of them live in the greater Montreal area. They have networks, institutions and a critical mass in their own community; 10% live in other large urban areas such as Gatineau, Quebec City and Sherbrooke; and the remaining 10% live in remote or isolated rural areas such as Gaspésie, the lower north shore and northern Quebec.
[English]
Many of Quebec's English-speaking communities are finding it difficult to achieve economic integration. Through its activities, the agency encourages the communities to get involved in their economic development.
[Translation]
Our agency's mission is to promote the long-term economic development of the Quebec regions, with special attention to economic low-growth regions and those that do not have enough productive employment opportunities. Our long-term objective is to ensure that Quebec's regions and communities increase their development capacity, vitality and prosperity in a significant and sustainable manner.
The agency must also assist in achieving the objectives of the Official Language Act.
[English]
According to section 41, we must deliver on our commitment to support the vitality of communities and the linguistic duality of Canada. The agency is also among the departments that contribute to the attainment of the road map for Canada's linguistic duality. One outcome of the road map aims to reinforce the economic development of communities. As you see, this is directly related to the original economic development mandate of our agency.
[Translation]
One of the positive measures we have taken to fully discharge our obligations under the act and roadmap is to develop and implement an action plan. The purpose of that results-based action plan, which meets the requirements of part VII of the act, is to promote the economic integration of the OLMCs. The plan is divided into six action areas: awareness, consultation, communication, coordination and liaison, funding and service delivery and, lastly, accountability. We developed this action based on a renewed approach to the OLMCs.
We have been forging ties with those organizations for several years now, and our meetings have led to a better understanding of the needs of the OLMCs and enabled them to gain a greater understanding of the services the agency offers and of the specific measures designed to enhance their vitality.
[English]
The purpose of this ongoing dialogue is to promote the integration of this community within the Quebec economy. Like the other federal departments, we also took action to fulfill our obligation with respect to parts 4, 5, and 6 of the Official Languages Act.
[Translation]
To respond to part IV, we have made a considerable effort to increase the awareness of our staff and to enhance our capacity to respond to the public in both official languages where required. Those efforts have been acknowledged by the Commissioner of Official Languages, who gave the agency a high mark in his more recent report card. The commissioner also gave us a good mark on part V, which concerns language of work. We invested $41,000 in 2010-2011 to maintain linguistic gains and to establish the required linguistic profiles for the 322 bilingual positions out of the total 365 positions at the agency.
The agency now intends to take the necessary measures to try to increase anglophone representation in our organization and thus to improve our ranking on part VI of the act. We have already carried out promotion and recruitment activities aimed at anglophone university students. Lastly, with regard to part VII and section 41, I am pleased to inform you that the commissioner has given us an exemplary mark for the positive measures we have taken. In recent years, the agency has implemented an approach involving ongoing dialogue with the OLMCs.
Through the many activities we have introduced, we have been able to gain a clearer understanding of the OLMCs' needs and to communicate information on available programs and services more effectively so as to support the vitality of those communities.
[English]
In the spirit of the commissioner's recommendation, we worked to take more integrated action with the other federal organizations in Quebec. For example, we collaborated with Industry Canada in organizing the dialogue with the English language minority of Quebec.
[Translation]
These distinctions do us credit and reflect well on the organization as a whole. The Roadmap for Canada's Linguistic Duality has made it possible to provide stronger support for economic development projects in the OLMCs. Through this pan-Canadian initiative, the agency received $10.2 million allocated over five years to enhance the activities we were already conducting.
This initiative has helped fund projects presented by non-profit organizations and businesses. The agency approved nine new projects in 2011-2012, totaling $2.6 million in financial assistance and $9.3 million in investment. For example, the agency supported a pilot project of the Youth Employment Services agency. The purpose of that project is to provide support to young anglophone entrepreneurs located in the regions.
[English]
In its efforts to promote linguistic duality, the agency also supported a project led by the Committee for Anglophone Social Action. The project will help get the two linguistic communities to work in tandem, develop alliances, and share their know-how so as to increase their contribution to the regional economy.
[Translation]
Our business offices have also taken various initiatives designed to promote the vitality of the OLMCs in their areas. For example, our Gaspésie-Magdalen Islands office has supported various economic development projects in the past year and attended many meetings designed to support the community in structuring its tourism sector. In addition, the Roadmap for Canada's Linguistic Duality also provides for a performance measurement strategy implemented by the partner departments and agencies in the initiative. To do this, the agency is integrating that strategy into its own departmental performance measure. In this way, we will be able to provide data and periodic reports on the performance of projects being carried out under the initiative.
As can see, we are contributing to the vitality of the OLMCs by supporting actual economic development and diversification projects related to our mandate. We will continue providing our assistance to the OLMCs, not only under the roadmap, but also through our programming and action plan, as well as ongoing dialogue. Our contribution will enable these communities to take an active part in their economic development and to integrate more effectively into the Quebec community, regardless of the official language they speak.
[English]
Thank you for your attention.
It is my pleasure to appear here today before the committee. I am accompanied by my colleagues, James Meddings, Assistant Deputy Minister for Policy and Strategic Direction and the departmental official languages champion, and France Guimond. Ms. Guimond, who is Director General of Operations for the Manitoba office, has direct experience in this area as she works with the communities we are discussing today.
As you know, Western Economic Diversification Canada is the regional development agency responsible for the four western provinces. WD's primary mandate is to promote economic growth, development and diversification in western Canada. Since its creation in 1987, WD has worked diligently to deliver on this mandate through focused programs and activities designed to support jobs and growth among small and medium-sized enterprises, encourage trade and investment, foster innovation and strengthen community economic development.
In our day-to-day work, WD recognizes that part VII of the Official Languages Act and the Roadmap for Canada's Linguistic Duality are invaluable to achieving our goal of a more competitive and diverse regional economy that is inclusive of all communities.
Canada's official language minority communities make a substantial contribution to our nation's economic strength, both domestically and in international markets.
Although French is the mother tongue for about two per cent of the west's population, seven per cent have knowledge of both official languages. That is almost 700,000 people.
[English]
However, the importance of linguistic duality surpasses its numbers. The roots of many francophone communities throughout western Canada are deep and formative in Canada's history. The rich history of francophone communities in the west represents a significant economic asset for the region and an additional dimension to the western Canadian presence on the global stage. It is important that the youth in these communities have the opportunities to be productive and to keep these communities thriving.
As well, immigration is contributing to the vitality, both culturally and economically, of francophone communities in western Canada.
[Translation]
My department is determined to cultivate these assets. WD's 2011-2016 Action Plan for Implementation of the Official Languages Act is the means by which we ensure that the act and the roadmap are well entrenched in WD's day-to-day management of its business activities.
I am proud to say that the four francophone economic development organizations—the FEDOs—members of WD's Western Canada Business Service Network are key players in this regard, having been members since 2001, and we are pleased to support their work, and WD's staff—in particular, the department's official languages team—consult with them closely to respond to the needs of western Canada's official language minority communities.
[English]
WD, from its core funding, provides FEDOs with an annual budget of almost $2.2 million, which they use to provide a wide range of business and community economic development services. This is above and beyond EDI funding. The types of services that were provided by FEDOs, or the francophone economic development organizations, are information services to 3,358 clients who have come in, in this period of time; 1,652 technical advisory services to people setting up and running businesses; and training for almost 1,500 clients.
The Commissioner of Official Languages has said that FEDOs are a best practice and something that could be looked at by other institutions.
My department is currently working with francophone communities in the west and FEDOs to develop projects, both under the road map's economic development initiative, or EDI, and under WD's core programming. For example, Manitoba's FEDO organization,
[Translation]
le Conseil de développement économique des municipalités bilingues du Manitoba, or the CDEM,
[English]
as it's known, is playing a central role in ensuring francophone entrepreneurs in Manitoba have access to the capital, training, and information they need to start or grow their small businesses.
[Translation]
More specifically, the CDEM is investing in youth entrepreneurship and attracting youth to return to rural communities, once they have graduated from postsecondary institutions. Also in Manitoba, WD recently approved a proprietary program-funded project with the Agence nationale et internationale du Manitoba—ANIM—to lead and organize the Centrallia 2012 event in Winnipeg.
Centrallia is a trilingual international business-to-business forum that will bring together over 600 business leaders from around the world to Winnipeg .
[English]
In Saskatchewan, we are working closely with the FEDO organization there, the Conseil de la coopération de la Saskatchewan, also known as the CCS, to identify a potentially EDI-funded project to support francophone entrepreneurs in that province, and Alberta's FEDO organization, the Conseil de développement économique de l’Alberta, is helping to promote the francophone tourism industry across the west.
It is developing a technology application tool to inform Canadian and international users about francophone tourist attractions as well as tourism-related businesses offering services in French across western Canada.
[Translation]
Finally, I am most pleased with the Place de la Francophonie event at the 2010 Winter Games which was led by the Société de développement économique de la Colombie Britannique. This was a resounding success where our federal EDI funding brought together the local francophone community, the FEDOs, the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the Olympics, and the BC province to showcase francophone tourism and agrifood industries to an international audience.
[English]
The beauty of this event was that internally it allowed the four FEDOs from across western Canada to work collaboratively as one western partnership, leveraging a whole range of resources. Externally, it helped build a partnership with the B.C. government, which has since increased the recognition of the economic contribution of francophone communities.
These are just a few examples of how federal support such as the road map, along with the strategic partnerships, can promote the vitality of francophone communities both economically and culturally.
[Translation]
We continue to work closely with organizations, to raise awareness and to develop our department's "Official languages lens". This tool was praised by the Standing Senate Committee on Official Languages when we first developed the concept in 2009. The "OL lens" has since been rolled out and it embeds OLMC considerations in the due diligence review that WD's officers undertake in project development.
Each project considered by WD employees is assessed using the "OL lens" criteria that have been developed by the department. Initiatives such as those I have mentioned today, have contributed to the high ratings WD has received from the Commissioner of Official Languages. WD was given an "exemplary" rating recently in recognition of our work in developing official language minority communities and promoting linguistic duality. We are proud of that assessment, but we are also aware that we can aim to do more.
In conclusion, we believe that, by supporting these communities, we are honouring the past and helping francophone entrepreneurs, including French-speaking newcomers and youth, foster economic growth in their communities. We are also positioning the west for the future.
[English]
Thank you for your time today. I look forward to your questions.
I will be putting my questions to the CED representatives.
Mr. Watson, earlier you said you were proud of the 2010 Olympic Games. I believe we could say that we missed the boat at the outset, at the opening. The Francophonie was not present, and that's unfortunate.
I know the government wants to conduct a major study for the 150th anniversary in 2017. It also wants to conduct a major study on how not to make the same mistake again. You don't have to make mistakes. It's easy; you make them and that's all. I don't see why we should study that for weeks on end. To ensure respect for both official languages, the two founding peoples of Canada and aboriginal peoples, we are being forced to spend more hours and weeks conducting a study to ensure that we do that without frustrating anyone. I don't know whether that's the idea.
I will be coming back to your economic organization from the west. You deal with the francophone communities, but, as you know, there is considerable job mobility today. Let's talk about that. Employers no longer want to set up new villages or to be responsible for them. That's what used to happen. They operated a mine somewhere and a village was set up there; they founded a village or a small town. Companies no longer do that. They bring in people from everywhere. I read an article on the subject in the newspaper yesterday. It stated that the government had said there was an incredible labour shortage in Canada, more particularly in the west. What is your agency doing to help Canada's francophones?
People will say that things are the way they are to: it isn't anglophones who have a problem. Canada's francophones are prepared to go and work out west. What is your organization doing to talk to companies like Suncor and those major companies where, with all due respect, francophones aren't welcome if they don't speak English? Let me explain. For example, back home on the Acadian peninsula, there've been a lot of closings in the forest industry. Paper mills have shut down in Miramichi, Bathurst, Dalhousie and New Richmond, in Quebec.
In the northeast and part of eastern Quebec, there are skilled labourers ready to go to work, but the companies say… I'll give you an example; I'll give you the background to what is really going on. It's possible to go and take security exams, but you have to go to Miramichi to do it, and they ask people to take the exam in English only. If candidates don't speak English well enough to take the exam, they will be disqualified.
A number of people from back home went out west last week. One qualified individual—a janitor, no less—went. He didn't need a lot of qualifications; I say that with all due respect. However, because he was unable to take the exam in English, he lost his job. He didn't get a single chance to sweep or wash a floor. He had the qualifications to do it. However, they brought in people from other countries. The article in yesterday's newspaper provided some statistics. They're bringing in people from the Philippines and China who have translators to help them take their exam. Go and check it out. I believe it's your responsibility to go and check that.
What is your agency doing to help Canadians, the first ones, get jobs? We need to break down the myth that, if you don't speak both languages in the west, if you don't speak English, you won't get it. However, the evidence is there. Foreign workers are being brought in and people say they are forced to recruit them because there aren't any workers in Canada. Back home, there are people who are prepared to go. They are aware of the reality of worker mobility; they take a plane. They call that a 20/14 or a 14/7. I made people laugh: I said I was doing 4/3s. I'm in Ottawa for four days a week and back home for three.
I would like you to tell us about worker mobility. I believe the agency could help members of the francophone communities who are prepared to go and work. These are brave souls who want to work but who have no place to go.
First of all, on this March 8, I hope you will allow me to express the hope that one day we will stop celebrating this day because we will have achieved equality in society. I would also like to note, incidentally, that my party has taken some real action in that direction. I believe this is really the way to go, but, in the meantime, I tip my hat to all those who, day after day, make an effort to achieve equality in our society. Thank you. That's all for March 8.
I thought it particularly interesting to hear about translation machines. This may be a new form of robot. In preparing for this meeting, I went onto the web, particularly the National Research Council site, where I found a paragraph that gave me a bit of a start and on which I would like to hear your comments. It was under the heading of the Canadian Astronomy Data Centre. It read as follows:
Due to the highly technical and dynamic nature of the content, expectations of adherence to Government of Canada Common Look and Feel and Official Language requirements may not be met.
Can someone explain to me why? Is it difficult to talk about science or astronomy in French? If we can develop specialized robots in medicine or legal affairs, can we imagine that it might be possible to create one that can process scientific data?
:
Thank you for that question.
Of course, NRC is very focused on making sure we make investments in areas that have potential for economic growth for our companies. If we look today at the market, it is a growing market. One of the sectors of this market that's growing very rapidly, for example, is in security and security-related technologies.
As a testament to what we've been able to build over the last 10 years, we have had DARPA, which is the American Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, and the FBI both come to us to use PORTAGE and integrate it into their systems.
In the security area itself there are an increasing number of firms, but there are also great demands from the agencies themselves. The amount of information available is doubling every 18 months. The ability of our security agencies to assemble, analyze, and prioritize information is beyond the capabilities of the analysts they have. In many ways it's similar to the translation challenges that the bureaus are facing.
Certainly in those areas of opportunity we've built the base that allows us to move into translation from other languages as well, and that opens up global markets for—
:
Thank you very much for the question.
In a moment, I'll turn to my colleague, Mr. Meddings, who will talk a bit about some of the multiplier effects.
One of the things we do at WD in all of our investments is try to actually get much better leverage. In other words, it's not just what we invest, but what we can encourage others to invest in.
I think the question goes much beyond the financial in so many cases, because what is interesting, particularly in western Canada, is the number of people who don't understand as much as sometimes they would like to—or where no one is available to understand—about the value of francophone communities there, and what they can add and do add to the overall economy of western Canada.
If you'll permit it, my colleague Mr. Meddings has some numbers that show some of the multiplication factors. Just to give you a bit of context, our annual budget is roughly $120 million a year for core programming, so that will give a bit of a sense of the scale of some of these multipliers.
:
I definitely think keeping control of the IP is critical for the future, especially as governments seek new sources of revenue to ensure we fund programs like official languages.
Of course, there is the $10 million that's gone into this project in the last several years, and until the end of the road map.
I'm also looking at the main estimates from Industry Canada showing that ICT and emerging technologies are going to be facing cutbacks of approximately $24.5 million, which is far greater than this entire program. Could that have a negative impact on future development of this and other software?
Before you answer, because I'm sure my time will run out by the time you're done, with regard to this offer in particular—and coming from an IT background—continuing development will require continued funds. As Monsieur Gourde said, version 1, version 2, version 3....
As we keep moving forward, what kinds of investments will NRC need to keep this project going? Would you rather see that kind of funding come out of, say, a future-type road map or become more permanent stable funding for the NRC for continued development?
:
We are continuing the 30
th meeting of the Standing Committee on Official Languages. We are now sitting in public to continue the committee's proceedings.
The committee has before it a motion and an amendment that Mr. Menegakis introduced at the last meeting.
Consequently, I want to read something to committee members. If they want all witnesses who appear before us to make their presentations by teleconference, they must know that this will not be possible all the time: there are two rooms that we can use for teleconferences, and they are not always available. Furthermore, some witnesses are here in Ottawa or in the surrounding areas. It costs less to have those witnesses come before us than to send them to a teleconference centre in the national capital region.
[English]
Just so everybody is clear, if you ask me to have all the witnesses for the study appear by teleconference, that will not always be possible. There are only two rooms available for teleconferencing, and sometimes they're not available.
Secondly, there are witnesses in the national capital region who will appear, and it will be much easier for them to appear in person than try to organize a teleconference room a couple of blocks from here for them to appear.
If the committee wants witnesses to appear via teleconference, I'll make my best effort, but in certain cases we'll have to ask them to appear in person. I just want to make you aware of that.
I will read the motion and the amendment of Mr. Menegakis. We're on the amendment.
The motion says:
[Translation]
That in relation to the study of the evaluation of the roadmap: improving services and program delivery, the proposed budget in the amount of $63,900 be adopted.
Mr. Menegakis's amendment reads as follows:
That the motion be amended by adding after the words "be adopted" the following: "and that the Committee invite witnesses to appear by videoconference, and if not possible, that they be invited to appear in person".
[English]
We're on the amendment.
Mr. Menegakis.
:
I understand what our colleagues want to do. That's not the problem; it's more a matter of respect.
We are coming to the end of the study. We met with people from the west, in Whitehorse and Yellowknife in particular. We met them in person. They are waiting for a report. They have not yet received it. It is to be hoped that we will resolve this one day.
In addition, we would have to tell them they are not even invited to Ottawa. We are living in a country where someone who is fortunate enough to live near Ottawa will always have the opportunity to be welcomed here, whereas there are people who live far away whom we are telling to stay home. That would be tantamount to a lack of respect for those people.
That is why I think we should leave it to the chair and clerk to send out the invitations. Out of respect for our communities, we should give them a chance to come if they want to come. If we must proceed by teleconference and there is no other way to do it, we will do it. We have always worked that way.
I have nothing against teleconferences. I just have one problem: I am afraid of what people in the communities will think. It's as though we were telling the people from Newfoundland and Labrador that they aren't invited to Ottawa because they live on an island. The people of Newfoundland and Labrador would not like that.
So it's a matter of respect for our communities. We have invited everyone from everywhere. There are still a few witnesses to come from the communities, and I would like to see them here.