Senator Rose-May Poirier

Senator Poirier: Thank you, Madam Chair. Welcome, Mr. Commissioner. First, if this is your final report as Commissioner, I want to thank you for your work and everything you have done for the official language minority communities. It is greatly appreciated, and I can guarantee you that the person who replaces you will have big shoes to fill.

As I am sure you know, the Government of Canada currently no longer has a minister of official languages. According to the explanation that the Minister of Canadian Heritage provided, it seems that it is now a matter of directing the traffic in the right direction, rather than representing it. In your opinion, is eliminating this department a step backwards for francophone minority communities? What will the impact on francophone communities be?

Mr. Fraser: It is difficult to say, because we have not studied the impact of that decision, and I am uncomfortable giving you an off-the-cuff answer. That is what I meant when I said that the message "it goes without saying'' concerns me. The minister's explanation of the change to her department's name was that it is now inherent to the government's position, a priority shared by all departments. I actually am concerned by that, because if we do not stress the importance of the issue, if we do not work constantly to keep it as a priority, we do risk dropping back. In the annual report, I used the image of an escalator: if you go up the down escalator you have to run; if you stop you go back down.

Names are important. The way in which things are named is important because it sends a message. I share your concern but I am not in a position to comment on the potential impact.

Senator Poirier: If possible, it would be good for your successor to follow up on this issue.

Here is my second question: as we move to a world with more remote connections, by the Internet, toll-free numbers, social media, cellphones and so on, there is less human contact. Is development of that kind in the interests of francophone minority communities in terms of the services provided in their language? How can we achieve a proper balance?

Mr. Fraser: Minister Brison said that it is a challenge but also a golden opportunity, not only for official language minority communities but also for Canada as a whole. In my annual report, I made a distinction between linguistic spaces and linguistic networks. A linguistic space is a physical place where the language is seen, heard, used, accessible and clear; a network often exists through technology. It is now possible to apply for a passport, to ask for one's pension, to communicate with the government, and to buy tickets online. That is all very important on an individual level, but it does not do a lot for the community.

As I said when Minister Brison left, there are ways of using technology to make the two official languages more visible. I am thinking about Ottawa International Airport, for example . At the place where you wait for your luggage when you arrive, there is a big screen on which the news broadcast alternates between French and English. It is a subtle way of saying that we have two official languages that are equal in status and here they both are presented visually. For me, the visual and audible presence of both official languages is very important and technology can be used to reinforce that message.

Senator Poirier: Once again, many thanks for your work, Mr. Commissioner.