:
Welcome to the 31st sitting of the Standing Committee on Official Languages, on Tuesday, March 13, 2012. We are meeting today pursuant to Standing Order 108 to conduct a study relating to the evaluation of the Roadmap: Improving Programs and Service Delivery.
Before turning the floor over to our witnesses, I would like to say that the committee has consented to deal with the subamendment and the amendment submitted to the committee. The motion pertaining to the budget will be dealt with in the second part of this meeting.
I believe the committee has given unanimous consent to withdrawing the subamendment and the amendment. Is that correct?
Some hon. members: Yes.
(The subamendment and the amendment were withdrawn.)
[English]
The Chair: There's a motion on the floor to adopt a budget of $63,900, moved by Mr. Godin. Is there any further debate on that motion?
Seeing none, I'll call the question.
All those in favour of the budget as proposed by Mr. Godin?
(Motion agreed to)
The Chair: The budget is carried.
Thank you very much.
We've disposed of the second part of our committee orders of the day for today, so we now have a full two hours to hear from the four witnesses in front of us.
[Translation]
With us today are Ms. Frenette and Mr. Aucoin from the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency and Mr. Saint-Germain and Mr. Sylvester from the Department of Citizenship and Immigration. Welcome, everyone.
We are going to start by giving the floor to the representatives of the Department of Citizenship and Immigration.
:
Good morning, Mr. Chair, and members of the committee. Thank you for the invitation to appear before you today. My name is Peter Sylvester, and I am the Associate Deputy Minister and official languages champion of Citizenship and Immigration Canada. Joining me today is Yves Saint-Germain, Director of Information, Language and Community Policy at CIC.
We are pleased to be here today to discuss CIC's activities through the funding allocated under the Roadmap for Canada's Linguistic Duality.
Canada has a long-standing tradition of immigration. Immigration has contributed and continues to contribute to the social and economic development of Canada and to its cultural enrichment, and it also benefits the country's two linguistic communities.
Under the roadmap, CIC received $20 million over five years to maintain, improve and develop immigration-related activities in official language minority communities.
In terms of anglophone minority communities, a significant factor that must be kept in mind is the 1991 Canada and Quebec agreement on immigration. CIC is exploring options for how it can best meet its obligations towards the official language minorities in Quebec while respecting commitments that exist under the Canada-Quebec Accord.
The Department is working with representatives from these communities to carry out research, including an assessment of the communities' capacity to attract newcomers and a statistical portrait of immigrants that have settled within those communities.
In terms of supporting francophone minority communities outside Quebec, CIC's approach is to increase the number of francophone immigrants settling in these communities and ensure that they obtain the support they need to integrate in French into Canadian society.
In addition to the funds allocated through the roadmap, CIC has set aside $10 million over four years from its settlement program for specific activities related to welcoming and integrating French-speaking immigrants in official language minority communities.
Concretely, CIC's funds under the roadmap are dedicated to: promotion and recruitment activities for potential French-speaking immigrants; francophone immigration networks; settlement and integration services for French-speaking immigrants outside Quebec; coordination and cooperation activities among key stakeholders; and research activities for official language minority communities.
[English]
As you know, Mr. Chair, the work we do in this area requires collaboration with many partners. CIC believes in the benefits of consulting regularly with communities in order to be in touch with the realities they face. That's why in 2002 the department created the CIC Francophone Minority Communities Steering Committee. This committee brings together representatives from federal departments and agencies, provinces and territories, and representatives of official language minority communities to foster immigration to francophone minority communities and to help these communities benefit from immigration.
[Translation]
You may be aware that a 2004 study by the Fédération des communautés francophones et acadienne du Canada noted gaps in the capacity of francophone minority communities to support the reception and integration of French-speaking immigrants.
The study identified several challenges, including a lack of recruitment capacity and means to promote francophone minority communities, as well as a lack of reception and integration services in French.
In its efforts to address these issues, in September 2006 CIC unveiled the Strategic Plan to Foster Immigration to Francophone Minority Communities.
[English]
The strategic plan was drawn up in partnership with federal departments and provincial, territorial, and community representatives through the CIC Francophone Minority Communities Steering Committee. Its objective is to provide a concerted and targeted approach to support the vitality of francophone minority communities by attracting a greater number of French-speaking immigrants to regions outside Quebec, improving the capacity of francophone minority communities to receive francophone newcomers, and facilitating the integration of the newcomers.
CIC's activities within the strategic plan were aligned with the road map, and accordingly the initial five-year period of the strategic plan, 2006-2011, was extended into 2013. Under the road map we funded the Destination Canada job fair. Destination Canada has been gaining in popularity in recent years, with extensive media coverage and attendance in Paris and Brussels reaching a record high in 2011. From almost 12,400 requests to participate, almost 2,700 pre-selected candidates participated in this year's eighth edition of the fair. More than 300 separate job profiles were posted on the event website by 110 different employers or their authorized representatives. An informal survey conducted at the end of the fair indicated that approximately 150 contracts were signed and another 150 interviews were planned.
[Translation]
CIC was pleased to see that the success of Destination Canada was noted in the 2010-2011 Annual Report of the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages.
We have also strengthened francophone immigration networks, and have established 13 francophone immigration networks for French-speaking immigrants in nine provinces and two territories. In other words, we have built the capacity of communities to welcome and integrate new immigrants into the community.
These networks bring together more than 250 francophone organizations representing various sectors, including economic development, education and health.
To give you just one example of the important work these networks do, the three Ontario networks collaborated with La Toile des carrières to organize bilingual job fairs in Ottawa and Toronto. Ninety-seven employers participated in Toronto and 55 in Ottawa.
With regards to the integration services delivered to French-speaking immigrants, CIC funds 121 French points of service. These are located in 24 cities outside Quebec and are managed by francophone service providers.
Other initiatives include a full range of tools for language training in French, the provision of settlement services in French schools, workshops on employer awareness and jobs fairs, and the establishment of entrepreneurship and labour market training programs.
[English]
As mentioned earlier, Mr. Chair, one of the key objectives for the CIC within the road map is to increase the number of French-speaking immigrants to regions outside of Quebec. Quite frankly, this is our biggest challenge, but we're pleased to say that momentum has been building.
[Translation]
Statistics indicate that 1.5% or 3,481 permanent residents admitted to Canada outside Quebec in 2010 were French-speaking immigrants. Preliminary data from January to June 2011 show that we are on track to achieve the target of 1.8% by 2013, as we are now at 1.7% or 1,545.
CIC remains committed to meeting the target of 4.4% of French-speaking immigrants settling in francophone minority communities outside Quebec by 2023. Immigration is, after all, one of the key contributing factors to the vitality of official languages minority communities.
Moving forward, CIC is looking to promote the transition from temporary to permanent residence for francophone temporary residents through the Canadian Experience Class, or CEC. In particular, more emphasis will be placed on promoting the CEC at events such as Destination Canada.
The CEC offers many temporary foreign workers and foreign student graduates in Canada the opportunity to apply to stay as permanent residents and eventually become Canadian citizens. It helps Canada permanently retain temporary residents with Canadian skilled work experience and proficiency in English or French.
[English]
CIC is also looking toward employment-based promotion and recruitment activities, including employer outreach throughout the year to increase the number of job offers to potential French-speaking immigrants. In this regard, our department believes that community stakeholders could play a greater role by mobilizing employers through available community networks.
[Translation]
Before closing, I would just like to inform members of the committee that CIC has retained the services of an external consultant to conduct an evaluation of the recruitment and integration of immigrants. The evaluation is well underway and preliminary results will be taken into account in the horizontal summative evaluation currently being conducted by Canadian Heritage. CIC's final report is expected this coming June.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I would be more than happy to answer any questions that committee members may have on this topic.
:
Good morning. I am pleased to appear before you today in my capacity of Vice-President, Finance and Corporate Services and Official Languages Champion for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, the ACOA.
I am accompanied by my colleague Mr. Wade Aucoin, ACOA's Director General of the Community Development directorate. Together, we will endeavour to set out ACOA's active role in implementing the Economic Development Initiative under the Roadmap for Canada's Linguistic Duality, 2008-2013.
[English]
ACOA is an economic development agency whose mandate is to support Atlantic Canada's businesses and communities. The Honourable Bernard Valcourt is the Minister of State responsible for ACOA. He is also Minister of State for la Francophonie.
[Translation]
ACOA, like the other regional economic development agencies, manages its own budget and programs. With the exception of collaborating with Industry Canada on accountability matters specific to the Economic Development Initiative, ACOA handles its own part of the financing under the initiative.
I think it is a good idea to give you a snapshot of Atlantic Canada's official language minority community. As you know, French is the official language of Atlantic Canada's linguistic minority population.
[English]
Roughly one-third of Canada's French-speaking official language minority population resides in Atlantic Canada. Atlantic Canada's population is approximately 2.2 million people, of which 276,000 people, or 13% of the region's population, are Acadians and francophones.
[Translation]
The majority of Acadians and other francophones, roughly 85.5%, live in New Brunswick and reside primarily in three areas of the province: in Madawaska, in northwestern New Brunswick; the Acadian Peninsula, in northeastern New Brunswick; and the southeastern corner of New Brunswick which includes Moncton, Dieppe, Shediac and Bouctouche.
In Nova Scotia, the francophone minority is located primarily in Cape Breton in Cheticamp, Isle Madame and the regional municipality of Cape Breton; in Halifax; in the municipalities of Clare and Argyle in southwestern Nova Scotia; and in other rural communities scattered throughout the province.
Acadians and francophones on Prince Edward Island are concentrated particularly in the Evangeline region in Abram-Village, Mont-Carmel and Wellington, though they are also found in the province's two main cities, Summerside and Charlottetown.
[English]
In Newfoundland and Labrador, the majority of the francophone population live in the provincial capital of St. John's, on the Port-au-Port Peninsula in western Newfoundland, and in Labrador City.
[Translation]
In each of the Atlantic provinces, these communities are supported by numerous organizations which coordinate activities from education and health to economic development and business.
At ACOA, serving the region's Acadian and francophone population comes naturally. This community is part of the region's social fabric and many of ACOA's employees are themselves members of the francophone minority which the agency serves.
[English]
Now, if I may, I would like to give you a little information regarding our agency.
ACOA was created in 1987 with the mandate to create economic growth in Atlantic Canada by helping businesses to become more competitive, innovative, and productive. ACOA works in three main areas: business development, community development, and policy, advocacy, and coordination.
[Translation]
The geographical location of agency offices is very important. Over thirty offices are spread out over the entire Atlantic region. Its head office is in Moncton, New Brunswick and it has regional offices in each provincial capital along with local offices strategically located throughout the region.
ACOA has staff capable of serving the public in both official languages. Over half of the positions at ACOA require the knowledge of both official languages. In addition to the services provided by agency staff, ACOA has established partnerships with other federal and provincial departments and with regional organizations such as Community Business Development Corporations or CBDCs. The provision of service by these offices covers virtually the entirety of francophone communities throughout Atlantic Canada.
[English]
In carrying out its activities, ACOA endeavours to take into account the nature and the specific needs of each of the official language minority communities it serves.
[Translation]
ACOA has contributed greatly to the region's francophone community. Project funding comes from ACOA's Business Development Program and Innovative Communities Fund, as well as from the federal 2008-2013 official languages action plan, referred to as the roadmap.
In fact, the Commissioner of Official Languages gave ACOA an "exemplary" mark with respect to the positive measures that it has taken for the benefit of Atlantic Canada's official language minority community.
Before turning to the roadmap per se, I would like to give you a summary of the contributions to the OLMCs that the agency makes using its own programming.
[English]
Under its regular programming from 2006 to 2011, the agency invested a yearly average of $13 million in the region's official languages minorities communities. For instance, in 2010-11, ACOA contributed to several projects in support of the OLMCs' economic vitality, including foreign trade missions to promote wood and fisheries products; youth entrepreneurship initiatives; and major community infrastructure projects, including the Centre des arts de la Petite Église d'Edmundston, and the construction of a municipal centre in Shippagan.
[Translation]
Under the Roadmap for Canada's Linguistic Duality 2008-2013, ACOA actively partners with francophone communities in managing Economic Development Initiative or EDI projects. This initiative is delivered under the agency's Business Development Program. The EDI seeks to highlight the economic benefits of linguistic duality and the way it enhances the vitality of the official language minority communities.
The initiative's criteria seek to give particular attention to projects that bear upon entrepreneurship, innovation, diversification and the establishment of partnerships. As soon as the roadmap was announced, ACOA consulted with representatives of the region's OLMC and informed them of the initiative and how to access funding.
Under the Roadmap for Canada's Linguistic Duality, $6.2 million were earmarked for ACOA. This enabled the agency to increase its contribution to the economic development of the Acadian and francophone minority community and to highlight the economic advantages of linguistic duality.
[English]
Roughly $500,000, or 8%, of the total $6.2 million was held back to cover the cost of managing the initiative.
[Translation]
In total, ACOA identified $5.7 million to invest in projects under the EDI. This financing was primarily directed to non-commercial activities in order to support innovative and diversified activities and to support small and medium size businesses. Applicants were asked to submit a short project summary for assessment by the agency's official languages committee comprised of official languages coordinators from across the agency.
To date, a total of 34 projects have been approved for financing of more than $5 million. Due to leveraging from various partnerships, the total value of these projects is around $10 million.
A dedicated $10 million contribution was directed to a specific project for francophone immigration—a project carried out specifically with the Population Growth Division of the Province of New Brunswick. This initiative was in support of settlement and retention activities for francophone immigrants to New Brunswick.
[English]
Since 2010, project disbursements have increased sharply. The sum of $1.1 million was disbursed in 2010-11, a contribution of almost $2 million is forecasted for 2011-12, and a total investment of $2.2 million is set to be made in 2012-13.
[Translation]
The preliminary results of an external summative evaluation conducted towards the end of 2011 show that the management of the initiative and the strategies taken for delivery were sound and satisfactory.
Among the 34 projects supported by ACOA under the EDI, some are worthy of particular note: New Brunswick Translation Inc., a project to assist small and medium-sized businesses with the costs for translation of their business marketing tools; the "Pays de la Sagouine" tourism site, a project that enabled an English-language translation of an already successful French-language play, resulting in attracting a significant number of anglophone visitors to the site; the Conseil provincial des sociétés culturelles, a project involving an electronic ticket vending system, with revenues accruing to the cultural organizations represented by the vendor; and the Atlantic Canada Acadian Tourism Commission, two projects which involved the development of experiential tourism activities in five Acadian tourism venues in Atlantic Canada and the coordination of activities in each of these regions.
[English]
These are just a few examples of the support ACOA has given to the region's official language minority communities.
At ACOA, the respect for official languages is more than just an obligation; it also makes good business sense, and it makes sense to be attentive to the needs of the agency's clientele.
[Translation]
ACOA maintains a close relationship with the economic development stakeholders in the region's official language minority community, as witnessed by the ACOA-Réseau de développement économique et d'employabilité or RDÉE regional committee, RDÉE being the Human Resources and Skills Development-financed French-language Economic Development Network, in existence since 2006.
I truly appreciate having been given the opportunity to bring this short message to you. I would now like to hand over the discussion to my colleague Wade Aucoin, Director-General of the agency's Community Development branch. Wade plays a direct role in delivering the EDI at ACOA and he will be pleased to answer any questions you may have. Thank you.
:
Yes, just to put a finer point on it.
I think this is an important comment. The preliminary results that we're seeing from the evaluation are showing us that 95% of the beneficiaries of the economic development initiative have increased their capacity in their business or in their community.
Denise already mentioned the leveraging. She was too modest. The leveraging is also another important point. When you look at the regular leveraging for BDP, the program we use on the non-commercial side, it's about 25%. But with this initiative, we leveraged, as Denise said, almost double what we invested, which means that we were the catalyst for these communities to generate new partnerships and new investments for new initiatives.
We also see in the preliminary results that over a thousand businesses increased their capacity for training, their knowledge of financial statements, for instance, and their knowledge on being able to access international markets. These are important things for communities.
We also see that about 75 communities reinforced their capacity to coordinate partnerships with other community groups. Again, this is an important thing in minority communities: they need to be able to find strength in numbers when they're in a minority situation.
I could go on, but for us, I think those are some of the more important general benefits that we're seeing. We could talk about the specific benefits that specific projects have achieved.
Denise mentioned the translation project. We've seen hundreds of companies translate some of their products so that a greater number of people are aware of their products and they can increase their sales. We've seen, for instance, that Le Pays de la Sagouine in Bouctouche attracted more people. This increased their revenues. It helps the small community of Bouctouche. Those are real, concrete, tangible results that have come from this initiative.
Thank you for the question.