Proceedings of the Standing Senate Committee on
Official Languages
Issue 16 - Evidence - Meeting of March 4, 2013
OTTAWA, Monday, March 4, 2013
The Standing Senate Committee on Official Languages met this day at 5 p.m. to conduct a study on CBC/Radio- Canada's obligations under the Official Languages Act and some aspects of the Broadcasting Act.
Senator Maria Chaput (Chair) in the chair.
[Translation]
The Chair: I would like to welcome you to this meeting of the Standing Senate Committee on Official Languages.
I am Senator Maria Chaput, from Manitoba, chair of the committee. Before introducing the witnesses appearing today, I would invite the committee members to introduce themselves, starting with the deputy chair of the committee, to my left.
Senator Champagne: Good evening, my name is Andrée Champagne, and I am a senator from Quebec.
Senator Poirier: Good evening, I am Rose-May Poirier, a senator from New Brunswick.
Senator McIntyre: Paul McIntyre, New Brunswick.
Senator Robichaud: Good evening, I am Senator Fernand Robichaud, from Saint-Louis-de-Kent, New Brunswick.
Senator Tardif: Good evening, my name is Claudette Tardif and I am a senator from Alberta.
The Chair: Thank you, the committee is continuing its study on CBC/Radio-Canada's obligations under the Official Languages Act and some aspects of the Broadcasting Act.
Today we welcome representatives from the Association franco-yukonnaise. Joining us, by video conference, are Ms. Angélique Bernard, President, and Ms. Nancy Power, Director of Communications and Community Relations.
On behalf of the committee members, I would like to thank the witnesses for taking the time to present the viewpoint of the association as part of our study and to answer our questions.
The committee has asked the witnesses to make a presentation of no more than seven minutes and senators will follow with questions.
Angélique Bernard, President, Association franco-yukonnaise: Thank you very much for the invitation. The Association franco-yukonnaise has been the official organization representing the francophones in Yukon and the backbone of Franco-Yukoner community development since 1982. Our mandate is to improve the quality of life in French for Yukon's francophones.
According to the 2011 Statistics Canada census, the Yukon has a population of 33,897. Francophones with French as a mother tongue represent 4.8 per cent of the Yukon's population. With a 33 per cent increase in the number of Yukoners with French as a mother tongue since 2006, our community is growing significantly. In addition, 4,510 people speak French. This number accounts for more than 13 per cent of Yukon's population. After New Brunswick, the Yukon has the highest percentage of francophones and people who can hold a conversation in French in the entire Canadian minority francophonie.
Obtaining Radio-Canada's French signal without cable was the first demand made by the AFY. Indeed, this was why a group of pioneers got together to establish the association. After 12 years of fruitless negotiations with the SRC, the AFY obtained a $60,000 grant from the Department of Canadian Heritage, known then as the Secretary of State. It gave this money to the SRC to purchase and install the equipment needed to retransmit the French radio signal. An agreement signed on March 28, 1991, between the AFY and the SRC made the former the official retransmitter of Radio-Canada's French signal in Whitehorse. To date, the AFY is the owner of the antenna and the broadcasting certificate for frequency 102.1 FM, Radio-Canada's Première Chaîne in Whitehorse. In 1992, the signal came from Montreal but, since 1997, Whitehorse Première Chaîne listeners have been getting the signal from Vancouver as a result of our agreement with the SRC; Radio-Canada provides us with a signal in exchange for the use of our transmitter.
Radio-Canada does not operate either a news office or francophone radio station in the Yukon. The territory has only one francophone video journalist based in Whitehorse who is responsible for covering the entire territory. There are more than 500 kilometres between Whitehorse and Dawson City. As a result, the news that Franco-Yukoners get pertains primarily to British Columbia, Canada and the international scene, unless they tune into the anglophone media.
That being said, the SRC plays an important and essential role for our community. For Yukon's francophones, it is an important link between the outside world and all of the richness of their culture. It enables our community to be informed and to remain connected in French on areas of interest to it. We acknowledge the efforts made by the SRC to include the Yukon in its programming and to make the information accessible on the Internet. We should point out the success of the new Zone Yukon page, which provides Yukoners with direct access to files, reports and interviews that talk about the realities of our region.
We would, however, draw attention to the high rate of illiteracy in our communities. In 2003, the International Adult Literacy and Life Skills Survey (IALLS) revealed that 56 per cent of the francophones in Canada experience serious difficulties with reading and writing. The next survey of this type is scheduled for 2013, but we are expecting this level will remain constant.
Illiterate Canadians often try to avoid situations where they have to read and, when they do manage to decode a sentence, they do not necessarily grasp the meaning. Even though the Web is full of video and audio resources, you have to be able to read and write in order to take advantage of them.
Accordingly, radio and television are still the preferred tools for informing and publicizing our community and the activities that take place there. The SRC has without doubt had a positive and major impact on the lives of all French- speaking Canadians. Generally speaking, the SRC does a very good job of fulfilling its role as a national public broadcaster.
However, when it comes to representing francophone communities in minority situations in the northern regions, it is clear that a lot of work remains to be done if it is to fully implement its 2011-2015 strategic plan: Everyone, every way — Strengthening, renewing and expanding links in the regional spaces.
Although we are cognizant of the support provided by SRC staff and their desire to meet the needs of our community, particularly over the past few years, Yukon is not given its proper due on either the radio or television. There is very little local and regional news about the Yukon and what we do have does not reflect the reality of our francophone community, either on the television or on French radio. That includes newscasts, the morning radio program and the dinner hour show at the end of the day.
Two or three times per year, a Vancouver team comes here to cover an event in the Yukon, as was the case in 2012 for the Arctic Winter Games and Chant'Ouest/Contact Ouest. Such visits do provide coverage of main events, but do not provide adequate daily coverage that represents our community.
We are hoping that the SRC will maintain its commitments as a co-producer and broadcaster of choice for events and cultural activities that occur throughout the Canadian francophonie, such as the Chant'Ouest competition, and that it will make a commitment to broadcast such content on the national network. By doing that, it will strengthen its role of supporting the development of arts and culture in minority francophone communities.
We are, however, hoping that the SRC will use every means available to curb the ``Montrealization'' of the airwaves and broadcast more French-Canadian artists and culture on the national network.
We are hoping that the SRC will diversify its French-language television production in regions outside of Quebec. To this end, the AFY is recommending that the SRC undertake to produce all kinds of programming in regions outside of Quebec, including dramas, documentaries, varieties and children and youth programming, in cooperation with independent producers from the Canadian francophonie.
We are hoping that the SRC will maintain the francophone video journalist position in the Yukon and that it will strengthen human resources in order to increase significantly Franco-Yukoner coverage, in French, in terms of both quantity and quality.
We understand the financial reality of the SRC, but we do believe that inexpensive solutions could be used. For example, reaching an agreement with CBC North to hire one or two bilingual journalists to support the sole francophone video journalist and systematically replace this person when she is absent.
The SRC could also provide some local training to assist people in the Yukon who are interested in the media. The SRC could draw on a network of reporters. This could be done through courses given at the francophone high school or through training provided to the volunteers of Rencontres, our radio program in French. This one hour per week program aired on CBC North is produced by the Association franco-yukonnaise and hosted by our francophone volunteers.
We are hoping that the SRC will provide a legitimate representation of the Yukon's francophone community through formal mechanisms to consult minority francophone communities, both nationally and regionally.
Finally, we are hoping that the SRC will reserve at least one seat on its board of directors for a representative of Canada's minority francophonie.
To conclude, it is essential that the SRC better fulfil the responsibilities set out in its mandate with respect to official language minority communities and that it remain a national broadcaster reflecting the vitality and diversity of the country.
The Chair: Thank you, Ms. Bernard.
The CRTC will soon be announcing its decision regarding the terms of licencing and the expectations that public broadcasters will have to meet over the next few years.
Do you have any specific expectations regarding this matter? If so, what are they?
Ms. Bernard: When we appeared before you last November, we did mention two conditions: strengthening human resources to support the sole video journalist and systematically providing for her replacement. When she leaves on vacation or is absent due to illness, there is no reporting in French. The other condition pertained to the legitimate representation of Yukon's francophone community through formal mechanisms to consult francophone communities, both nationally and regionally. These are the two conditions.
Senator Poirier: Thank you for your presentation and for being here with us to help us as we undertake our study.
You mentioned a possible solution; namely, an agreement with CBC North to hire a bilingual reporter. Have you already shared these ideas with the SRC to see whether or not they would be open to such a solution?
Ms. Bernard: The video journalist position is the result of a request made by the AFY in the late 1990s. This was a solution suggested by CBC North, namely obtaining a bilingual video journalist position. As I mentioned, when this person is absent or has too much work, some of the French news is set aside.
Senator Poirier: Do you have any francophone community radio in the region?
Ms. Bernard: We have one hour that is aired on the anglophone community radio on Tuesday afternoons, but we do not have a francophone community radio station in the Yukon.
Senator Poirier: Have you looked at partnerships as a way of assessing openness to obtaining community radio in your region?
Ms. Bernard: I do not think that this would happen through the government. We do have amateur radio groups in the Yukon, but these stations operate independently of the government. For financial matters, we would not be able to go through the government, which would tell us that this comes under the jurisdiction of Radio-Canada or community radio.
Senator Poirier: So there is no openness to that. In New Brunswick, we have some extremely successful regional community radio stations. They sometimes receive grants which help them. I also know that there are partnerships, in other provinces, with respect to the regional community radio station facilities, which are sometimes shared with other Radio-Canada journalists, for example. This makes the situation easier and less costly. I was therefore wondering whether this type of thing existed in the Yukon.
Nancy Power, Director, Communications and Community Relations, Association franco-yukonnaise: Over the past two years, we have contacted the ARC network in Canada and discussed the matter. We would need to do a feasibility study. We have a dynamic community, but it still is relatively small. It would be a sizeable challenge to have a vital francophone community radio station in the Yukon, but it would not be impossible.
Senator Poirier: The committee has just completed its study on social media; do you think that the social media could be part of the solution? Do you think that Radio-Canada could better fulfil its obligations to your community by making better use of the social media?
Ms. Power: The social media are an attractive option and enable us to reach out to a clientele that may be younger or different. However, generally speaking, radio remains the media that is truly appreciated by the community and it is the media of choice. I do not think that the social media will be able to replace radio. It must also be said that everything that occurs via the Internet in the Yukon is extremely expensive. This is another reason why radio remains a preferred means of communication.
Senator Poirier: So right now you really do not have any regional representation provided by Radio-Canada?
Ms. Power: I am sorry, but we did not hear the question.
Senator Poirier: If I understand correctly, you do not really have any regional representation provided by Radio- Canada, either on television or on the radio?
Let us use the regional news as an example.
Ms. Power: I am sorry, but the communications do not enable us to understand what you are saying, because the sound we are receiving is very choppy.
Senator Poirier: I will try to put my question another way: do you believe that Radio-Canada, either through the radio or the television, provides you with adequate representation with respect to regional news?
Ms. Power: Do you want to know the percentage of news coverage given to the Yukon in the regional newscast?
Senator Poirier: Yes, that could help.
Ms. Power: Indeed, this is difficult. At this point I could not give you the percentage of Yukon news coverage compared to Vancouver or British Columbia. I do not think that we have any data on that. We would have to listen to everything or watch everything in order to give you a guestimate. However, we are not being systematically covered on a daily basis.
Ms. Bernard: It depends on the activities or things happening in the community.
Senator Champagne: I hope I am making myself clear. You answered my first question to some extent. I wanted to know what Internet reception was like in Yukon. You said that it was expensive, but for those who can afford it, is the connection at least easy to get, for example, to go on the Radio-Canada website or that of another channel in order to get news about current events? Is it easy, for example, to get both Canadian and international news?
Ms. Bernard: Yes.
Senator Champagne: Is the connection good or is it difficult to connect via satellite?
Ms. Power: Yes, it is easy. Are you talking specifically about Radio-Canada's Zone Yukon, or in general?
Senator Champagne: In general.
Ms. Power: Yes, it is easy.
Ms. Bernard: Here in the Yukon, we lose three hours, so when it is six o'clock in the east, the connection is slower. People connect after work in the east, so things slow down a little bit.
Senator Champagne: Last week, we heard from people in Nunavut doing the same work you are. They have managed to organize a community radio network that works extremely well for them, which enables them at least to share their local news with each other.
They also mentioned — and you did too a little bit — CBC North, which has a French radio show. They told us that this weekly show airs Friday evenings at 11 p.m. or 11:30 p.m., which is utterly ridiculous. Children or even parents cannot stay up until that hour to listen to a short half-hour French radio show via CBC North. Is the situation the same for you or are you able to benefit from this half-hour in French through CBC North at a reasonable time — or decent hour, as my mother would say.
Ms. Bernard: It airs Friday but at 10 o'clock. Nunavut is one hour ahead. On Saturday we have a radio show called Rencontres. At the request of AFY, in the mid-1980s, we approached CBC North to get a one-hour show in French produced by francophone volunteers in the Yukon. It has increased from 30 minutes to one hour. The show celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2010 and it is extremely popular.
Senator Champagne: What time does it air?
Ms. Bernard: AFY's show airs Saturdays at 5 p.m. The Radio-Canada show in French airs Fridays at 10 p.m.
Senator Champagne: I will come back later.
Senator McIntyre: Thank you for your presentation. I think you are working hard. You are solid as a rock, as we say in Acadia. I noted that the Association franco-yukonnaise has been around for 31 years. I also note that the organization provides a number of important services to francophone Yukoners in many sectors.
That said, despite all the fine work, the fact remains that your organization experiences and continues to experience a number of obstacles, for example, lack of access to a regional signal just for your territories; the lack of a francophone community radio station and news bureau; the community newspaper L'Aurore Boréale is published only twice a month and the LPIF is about to be phased out, to mention just a few. All these factors mean, to me, that a great majority of francophones in the Yukon are not getting their information in French and are turning to anglophone media.
CBC has a regional station in the North. What kind of relationship do you have with CBC/Radio-Canada and would you say that the daily lives of francophones in your territory are adequately represented on the English network?
Ms. Power: We have an excellent partnership with CBC North. In fact, they are the ones who make it possible for us to have an hour of French radio. They also cover our events. Sometimes, they come to see us on site for live interviews. Also, for example, during the Rendez-vous de la francophonie, they let us broadcast spots to promote them for free.
I do not know whether they have the same agreement with CBC North in Nunavut or elsewhere in the north.
Does that answer your question?
Senator McIntyre: Yes. I am extremely concerned that there are many francophones turning to the CBC, given the few resources you have available.
Ms. Power: Yes. If you want to know what is happening in the Yukon, if you want to listen to the news, you need to listen to English media.
Senator McIntyre: You have answered my question, thank you.
Senator Tardif: Good day. You indicated in your presentation that, it is clear that, in terms of representing francophone minority communities in northern regions, Radio-Canada still has much work to do to ensure that its 2011-2015 strategic plan Everyone, Every way — Strengthening, renewing and making new links within the regions, starts to have real significance.
If I understand correctly, you are not very satisfied with the effectiveness of CBC's five-year strategy, correct?
Ms. Power: Not its implementation. In fact, we do not often find ourselves on Radio-Canada radio or television. The Yukon is mostly absent.
The challenge we face is twofold: we are confronted with Montrealization on air, and furthermore, we are sharing with British Columbia where there are increasing numbers of francophones. That is to some extent the situation in the Yukon.
Senator Tardif: There is a regional panel that is used as a mechanism. Are you a member of the regional panel? Have you been called upon or consulted? Did you know there was a regional panel created?
Ms. Power: That information was shared by the Fédération canadienne culturelle française. But until that point I had not heard about it; we were unaware that there was a regional panel.
Ms. Bernard: We are not asked to participate in street polls.
Senator Tardif: You said that Radio-Canada could play an important role as a partner in developing arts and culture. Have there been any partnerships in the past or opportunities for the future regarding promoting arts and culture in French in the Yukon?
Ms. Bernard: In September, we hosted Contact Ouest and Chant'Ouest. Journalists came from Vancouver to cover the event. Also, each year, when we hold our francophonie gala, some Radio-Canada directors come to the Yukon for our annual general meeting and some hosts also attend the galas. So, we do collaborate in that way, but it is more in the area of the hosting and covering of events. We would like to go a bit further to provide training on site to people who might, for example, be interested in becoming a columnist. Also, at school, young people have student radio and courses on media; so, we could try to see what kinds of partnerships we could create in that way to train people on site.
Senator Tardif: You are referring to the kind of partnership you would like to have with Radio-Canada?
Ms. Bernard: Yes.
Senator Tardif: Have you spoken to them about this?
Ms. Power: Yes, over the years. We have had training some years. For example, in 2007, the hosts of the show Rencontres received training. For perhaps three years in a row, training was offered. But there has not been any more for several years.
Senator Tardif: Do you have anyone at present? Is there someone in the Yukon working as a reporter?
Ms. Power: Yes, we have a video journalist.
Senator Tardif: Is she from the Yukon or from Montreal?
Ms. Power: I do not know, but she has been part of the community for years.
Senator Tardif: So this individual is very familiar with the community.
Ms. Bernard: Yes, she takes part in activities, she comes and reports on events, she calls us for quotes. She is extremely present within the community. However, as I said, when she is on holiday or sick, there is no one else to provide media coverage in French.
Senator Tardif: Final question: how many hours — or minutes — per day are there shows in French on TV?
Ms. Bernard: It depends. Sometimes, we may get three or four minutes during the 6 o'clock news on TV, but it depends on what has happened during the day, if there are any major events. Otherwise, often, there are days when there is nothing about the Yukon in French.
Senator Tardif: Compared to the national or international news or compared to other provinces?
Ms. Power: We share this channel with Vancouver.
Senator Tardif: What percentage is in French? If I wanted to watch TV in French, how many minutes per day are there, for example? Is there a 30-minute news bulletin each day in French in the Yukon?
Ms. Bernard: It comes from Vancouver. And if our video journalist has a piece, it will be done during the Vancouver news broadcast. She sends it by Internet. But, as I said, if there is nothing going on or she is away, there will not be a three or four-minute segment on the Yukon during the French news bulletin.
Ms. Power: We get the Téléjournal from British Columbia and there is still nothing about the Yukon in this news bulletin.
Senator Tardif: Thank you for those clarifications.
Ms. Bernard: The Yukon still does not have its own Téléjournal!
Senator Robichaud: In your presentation, you talked about the Canadian illiteracy rate. Is there a difference in this area with your region? In fact, you are saying that people have trouble accessing and understanding what is happening on the Web. People need to be able to read and write in order to understand fully.
Ms. Power: I believe that we are within the Canadian average. In fact, what is alarming is that, when we talk about 56 per cent, we are referring to levels 1 and 2. These are people who have trouble reading printed documents, who need intermediaries to accomplish some reading tasks. Their reading material is limited. They can read clear, simple and direct texts. Sometimes, it is hard to go and find information on the Internet. It is difficult to understand properly what is out there. These are often people who, according to their profile, rely on others and take on one task at a time. For example, someone may start to read a sentence and when they have reached the end it is hard to say whether that person understands the meaning.
Senator Robichaud: Are people turning to English language networks or broadcasts, given that they find it difficult?
Ms. Power: English radio.
Ms. Bernard: Yes, English radio.
Ms. Power: Or in French if they want to listen to the radio from Vancouver or Montreal.
Senator Robichaud: You are saying that, generally, Radio-Canada does a very good job as a national public broadcaster. But one of the things you state later that you want is this, ``We want Radio-Canada to do its utmost to counter the Montrealization of the air waves and ensure increased broadcasting of artists.''
The fact that we get — it is the same in Acadia, — news from Radio-Canada coming mainly from Montreal and Quebec, is not satisfactory to you, is it?
Ms. Power: No.
Ms. Bernard: No.
Senator Robichaud: It is a contradiction with the fact that Radio-Canada is a national public broadcaster. In my book, it does not do a good job of being a national public broadcaster. Am I misunderstanding?
Ms. Power: You are, in fact, right. We believe that the will is there, but perhaps the means are not; and perhaps the will is not there either. Only Radio-Canada could answer that. But it is certain that we really are not reflected on Radio-Canada television or radio. And we are not the only community in this situation. And if that means that Radio- Canada is not fulfilling its mandate, then Radio-Canada is not.
Senator Robichaud: Thank you for that answer. You also listed three wishes, other than the one I mentioned regarding the Montrealization. Are the people at Radio-Canada aware of your wishes and has there been any reaction? Do you know what you can expect from Radio-Canada?
Ms. Power: In 2007, we re-launched the issue of a radio station and news desk in Whitehorse. In fact, the response was quite clear: Radio-Canada does not intend to open a desk in the Yukon. So, we will need to work on alternatives to ensure that the Yukon has a better presence on radio and television.
Senator Robichaud: With regard to your desire to maintain a video journalist position, do you have any indication as to whether that individual will remain for some time or forever?
Ms. Power: We have no indication that Radio-Canada could eliminate that position.
Senator Robichaud: Nevertheless, you would like additional human resources, correct?
Have you any indication as to whether this could happen? You are asking for human resources to support the video journalist position, because you said on several occasions that when that individual was out sick or on holiday, you had no service. Has there been any indication from Radio-Canada that you might be able to get human resources to support that individual?
Ms. Bernard: There has been no such indication.
Senator Robichaud: Thank you.
The Chair: I have another question to follow up on those asked by Senator Robichaud. If I understand correctly, Radio-Canada has never or almost never consulted you. If there have been consultations, were you not invited or did you not participate?
Ms. Bernard: I have been president since 2010, but I have been involved with the AFY for much longer. We have never been invited to any consultations.
The Chair: Thank you. I have another question. There is the Local Programming Improvement Fund or LPIF. The CRTC recently announced that this fund would soon be eliminated. These funds were for local programming. Do you have access to this fund and have you been able to get additional local programming as a result of the fund?
Ms. Power: We have not benefited from this fund in the Yukon, however, it has enabled British Columbia to have a news broadcast on the weekend, for instance.
Senator Champagne: You said earlier that Radio-Canada had nevertheless helped to train some people around you for radio. You said that, unfortunately, the program for training people who could eventually do community radio or prepare news bulletins that Radio-Canada could send, even if it was done in Vancouver, no longer exists.
However, do the people who have been trained under this program want to share what they have learned with others so that the training may continue? Is that something you are considering?
Ms. Bernard: I am also a member of the team of hosts of the show Rencontres. When people express interest in taking part in the show, they must take part in two shows with different hosts. It is co-hosted. It is a kind of training in the way that the show Rencontres works, how we pick songs and plan our 54 minutes, however the training ends there when people are interested in becoming part of the team. However, I am sure that the hosts are prepared to provide more official training, but in the Yukon, people travel a great deal, and the community constantly changes because many of them are there only temporarily. That is why it is interesting to get more formal training from time to time to bring in new people.
Senator Champagne: If you have people who really know what they are doing when they get behind a microphone and a desk, it might be an excellent idea to make sure that that knowledge gets transferred, because people get older, their work takes them elsewhere, and they go back down south.
We had a similar experience at one time. I lived in the theatre and music world at a time when our talented musicians were sent to Europe to study. But after 30 years, these people who had left and come back were then able to share what they had learned while away. So the knowledge gets passed on. Because if you wait for Radio-Canada to provide another series of courses for that purpose, you could be waiting a long time. So those who have had the benefit of it can then help others who are interested. This is a suggestion that I would like to make to you.
Ms. Power: Thank you.
Senator McIntyre: You submitted a brief to the CRTC with regard to the renewal of broadcasting licences in November in which you make several requests such as ensuring a minimum presence of two francophone journalists in the Yukon.
Did you appear in Gatineau in November to answer questions resulting from your brief?
Ms. Bernard: We had a teleconference at the end of November.
Senator McIntyre: Were you reassured following that phone call or did you feel that the CRTC was turning a deaf ear?
Ms. Power: One of the concerns we had related to the consultation, the way in which Radio-Canada conducted that exchange with the communities; but with regard to the recommendations, I believe that it was taken a bit like a shopping list. So as to whether we were heard or not, I cannot say.
Senator Robichaud: You are telling us that you have a minimum number of programs in French. Are you concerned about the assimilation of young people who, because they hear little French, are turning towards English, which could accelerate the process?
Ms. Power: Exactly.
Senator Robichaud: There are not many ways to encourage young people to use French, particularly if the means are not there to communicate with other communities in Canada, correct? I take it by your nodding that you are saying yes.
Ms. Bernard: Yes, that was a giant yes.
Senator Tardif: The situation in the Yukon is unique because the Association franco-yukonnaise owns the Radio- Canada radio signal, if I understand correctly. Could you tell us what logistical and financial challenges you face as a result?
Ms. Power: In fact, there are not any anymore. For several years now, CBC/Radio-Canada has maintained the equipment. It is responsible then for any expenditures.
Senator Tardif: So you do not have any costs associated with the fact that you own the signal?
Ms. Power: In fact, one of the last bills that we got was for one dollar to cover maintenance fees to October 1, 1996. So you can see I am going back many years. The association refused to pay that fee.
Senator Tardif: So these are resources that they are ultimately giving you? It is free at present, if I understand correctly? Did you purchase it?
Ms. Power: Yes.
Senator Tardif: And the operating expenses are now free?
Ms. Power: Yes.
Senator Tardif: And you are responsible for logistics? You are the ones who have to find the staff? What do you do?
Ms. Power: Not at all. It has to be CBC North. In fact, the only thing that we are responsible for is making sure that our licence is in good standing with the CRTC.
Senator Tardif: Okay. And the hosts of your show are volunteers?
Ms. Bernard: Yes, volunteers do the Rencontres show on Saturday afternoons. Only the technicians are paid because they operate the Radio-Canada consoles.
Senator Tardif: You talked about Zone Yukon. Could you tell us what this is? Is it a program, a show?
Ms. Power: It is a new page on the Radio-Canada website that allows people, through a simple link, to have access to news about the Yukon in French. It is a very new site, it was launched just two months ago.
Senator Tardif: Is this new initiative successful? Do people like it?
Ms. Power: Yes, it has been well received by the community.
Senator Tardif: Thank you.
The Chair: Do you have any other questions, senators?
Senator Rivard: Madam Chair, I am sorry I was late. I hope my question has not already been asked.
To make a comparison with your situation, three-quarters of a century ago, when Quebecers immigrated to Massachusetts, for example, they gradually lost the French language because there were no French-language stations. And finally, after a couple of generations, they were completely assimilated.
Can you tell me whether francophones and francophiles in your region want to keep French-language television?
Ms. Bernard: Yes. According to the latest census data, there is an increase in the number and percentage of francophones and francophiles in the Yukon. There are a lot of students in French immersion in the Yukon. They are trying to find every way they can to get more news, more content in French.
Senator Robichaud: Bravo!
Senator Mockler: Good evening. I am Percy Mockler from Saint-Léonard, New Brunswick. Could you explain to us how the French immersion program works in your schools?
Ms. Bernard: Yes. It is a government program offered at the primary and secondary levels to anglophone parents who want their children to learn French. We have a French first-language school from kindergarten to grade 12 for francophone parents. But at the Émilie-Tremblay school, 80 per cent of the students come from exogamous families, French-English. So when you talk about fighting assimilation, it is an issue with our first-language children too.
But immersion is very popular. There are waiting lists for primary school, and there are late French immersion courses starting in grades 6 and 7, that continue on into secondary school. So, it is very popular here.
Today we are seeing a second generation of children going into immersion. Their parents were in immersion in the late 1970s and early 1980s, and now their children are doing it.
Senator Mockler: I am somewhat familiar with the Émilie-Tremblay school. I know it plays an important role when it comes to furthering awareness of its cultural and community dimensions.
Can you tell me what role the AFY plays in the school's programming? Do you promote Radio-Canada in the Émilie-Tremblay school?
Ms. Bernard: At school, the AFY has a youth wing, which is more of interest to high school students. They do a lot of activities with the school. The school has a cultural integration coordinator. Before that person was hired, it was our youth officer who played that role and liaised between the AFY and the school. It is very important, it does a lot of community radio with the students. So coming back to training, there are some volunteer meeting hosts who have given training to the students. That is ongoing, and promoting Radio-Canada among students at the school is definitely a key part of it too.
Senator Mockler: The services we are talking about can probably be delivered at three levels: public, private and community. In your experience, which level would be most conducive to the development of the francophonie in your territory?
Ms. Bernard: I think it would probably be the community level, working with the francophone and Acadian communities of Canada. We often hear from the Radio-Canada side that the problem is a lack of human resources; and it is everywhere, it is not just in the Yukon where there is a lack of human resources. And that is where we are coming from with our recommendation to train people on the spot, to go out into the schools and pass the torch directly to young people. That would be one of the creative and innovative ways to make up for the lack of human resources.
The Chair: I have a supplementary question, ladies. Have you ever in the past, in the Yukon, received any additional resources from Radio-Canada, in addition to those you currently have?
Ms. Power: Not to my knowledge.
The Chair: So you have never been consulted and you share with the team — if I can put it that way — from British Columbia for a few hours of French a day. You do not have much in the Yukon, if I understand correctly.
Ms. Bernard: Not so much, really.
The Chair: Ladies, on behalf of the members of the committee, I would like to thank you for appearing before us and would encourage you to keep up your efforts. I would also like to congratulate you on the excellent work you are doing. In the coming days, if you have any other ideas you would like to share with the committee to assist in the drafting of its report, I would ask that you convey them to the clerk.
Once again, thank you very much, ladies.
Ms. Bernard: Thank you.
The Chair: Honourable senators, at the meetings of March 18 and 25, we will be hearing from panels of young people. We are approaching the end of our study, and I would like to remind you that these meetings are scheduled to start a bit earlier and end a bit later than usual. We could start at 4 p.m. and finish at 7 p.m., or start at 4:30 and end at 7:30.
We will be having two panels of young people and then we will hear a few witnesses. After that, we will be done, and will move on to the draft report.
Senator McIntyre: I would prefer having the meetings start at 4:30.
The Chair: Very well, 4:30.
(The committee adjourned.)