Statement made on 09 June 2009 by Senator Maria Chaput
Hon. Maria Chaput:
Honourable senators, on June 4, 2009, I was proud to table here in the Senate the most recent report of the Standing Senate Committee on Official Languages, entitled Francophone Arts and Culture: Living Life to its Fullest in Minority Settings.
Arts and culture funding fuels development in francophone minority communities. This observation forms the basic premise on which the committee's latest report was based. Furthermore, the eight recommendations made by the committee stem from that central idea.
In any discussion about the arts and culture, it is important to remember that this sector is closely linked to the development of our communities. In fact, the arts and culture sector is a driving force in the economy and, in some cases, provides a crucial competitive advantage.
In this recent study, the committee had to consider the importance of the arts and culture to the development of Francophone communities in minority settings, in light of federal responsibilities under the Official Languages Act.
I remind you that, according to section 41 of the act, and I quote:
The Government of Canada is committed to (a) enhancing the vitality of the English and French linguistic minority communities in Canada and supporting and assisting their development; and (b) fostering the full recognition and use of both English and French in Canadian society.
According to section 42, the Minister of Canadian Heritage shall encourage and promote a coordinated approach to the implementation by federal institutions of these commitments.
Furthermore, since 2005, the act has stated in section 41 that it is imperative that federal institutions ensure, and I quote:
. . . that positive measures are taken for the implementation of the commitments.
"Positive measures" are synonymous with "proactive measures." No matter what definition we may choose to attribute one day to the legal concept of "positive measures", it is evident that this term imposes on the government the obligation to take action.
In order to have the government take concrete action, the committee, in this recent report:
. . . asks that the Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages . . . take the necessary steps to ensure that all federal institutions adopt positive measures with regard to community media, radio stations and newspapers.
Specifically, the committee asks the minister responsible to ensure that all federal institutions:
. . . make effective use of official-language minority media . . . and set aside a predetermined part of government advertising expenditures for community media.
Many community representatives consulted during the recent study suggested that CBC/Radio-Canada:
. . . must increase the visibility of Francophone communities in minority settings and their artists by featuring them on prime-time national programs.
Unfortunately, recent cuts to CBC/Radio-Canada's budget have produced the opposite effect. Cultural and regional coverage are now in a more tenuous state than before.
We have to reverse that trend so that young francophones in minority communities can identify with what they see on television. Scattered throughout this vast land, these young people deserve to see a reflection of themselves.
The committee's proceedings also revealed that:
Arts and culture organizations have high hopes for the new Canada Media Fund — arising from the consolidation of the Canadian Television Fund and the Canada New Media Fund — began operating on 1 April 2010.
As such, in its recent report, the committee recommended that the minister in charge ensure that the production sector in francophone communities in minority settings be appropriately represented on the new Canada Media Fund's board of directors.
The committee's recommendation is significant because current representation on the board of directors of the Canadian Television Fund is unacceptable. At present, representatives of official language minority communities are conspicuous by their absence from this federal organization.
Television plays a vital role in Canada's cultural landscape, so a broader vision of Canada's francophone communities must be included.
It is clear that cultural and artistic organizations in minority francophone communities are suffering from a lack of human and financial resources. We have to give these communities the support they need to develop and reach their full potential.
That is why, in its latest report, the committee:
. . . underscores the importance of supporting infrastructure development, cultural activities in schools, artist training and professional development, the use of new technologies and community collaboration (networking).
Unfortunately,
. . . the recent announcement that the IPOLC program was being terminated is. . .a clear sign of the gradual but steady decline in the funding provided to arts and culture organizations in Canada's French-language community.
The IPOLC was one of the initiatives established to encourage partnerships between federal departments and agencies in order to support the implementation of Part VII of the Official Languages Act.
The Fédération culturelle canadienne-française wonders, like so many other major players in the arts and culture community, if Canadian Heritage plans to implement another mechanism to replace the IPOLC.
Thus, the committee recommends that the minister responsible support the development of projects providing a solid framework designed to engage the communities. The committee also recommends that the funding process for small projects be streamlined and that wait times for processing grant applications be reduced.
As indicated by the Commissioner of Official Languages, and I quote:
Uncertainty surrounds the future of early, targeted initiatives, and the [official language minority] communities see little sign of commitment to a stable, long-term, systemic approach to recognizing their importance.
The Commission of Official Languages told the committee that, at present, francophone minority communities see linguistic duality being watered down and, as a result, a fundamental building block of Canadian identity is crumbling.
Accordingly, in its latest report the committee recommends that:
. . . federal institutions working in the arts and culture sector, and the other levels of government develop a long-term vision to support arts and culture in Francophone communities in minority settings.
According to the committee, this long-term vision must take into account the particular realities of francophone communities in minority settings, the needs of first-generation and second-generation francophone immigrants, and the use of new technologies, among other things.
In its report, the committee reminds us that:
Federal institutions must uphold the spirit of Part VII of the Official Languages Act by consulting official-language minority communities when making decisions that affect their growth and development.
The committee believes that Canadian Heritage must show greater leadership with regard to implementing positive measures.
Rather than waiting for a legal ruling, the committee maintains that true political leadership is desirable especially when it comes to adopting positive measures.
According to Father Zoël Saulnier, who appeared before the committee for this recent study, and I quote:
. . . investing in culture is sowing the future, and refusing to invest in culture is tantamount to ordering the slow death of a people.
Honourable senators, it is now time to sow the seeds of hope in francophone communities in minority settings by investing in a long-term vision for the arts and culture. The identity and the economy of our country are at stake.
I would like to congratulate the members of the Standing Senate Committee on Official Languages for producing this ambitious report. I would like to sincerely thank them for their commitment and cooperation.