LANG Committee Report

APPENDIX A

LIST OF RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE REPORT ENTITLED IMMIGRATION AS A TOOL FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF OFFICIAL LANGUAGES MINORITY COMMUNITIES (2003)

Source: House of Commons Standing Committee on Official Languages, Immigration as a Tool for the Development of Official Language Minority Communities, 7th report, 37^th Parliament, 2nd Session, May 2003.

RECOMMENDATION 1:

The Committee recommends that immigration officers be required to inform Francophone potential immigrants of the existence of official language minority communities throughout Canada.

RECOMMENDATION 2:

The Committee urges CIC to create a Web site that would provide information on the official language minority communities and that could be used as an interactive communications tool by representatives of those communities, immigration officers and potential immigrants.

RECOMMENDATION 3:

The Committee recommends that the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration set objectives to be achieved over the next five years in selecting, and retaining within minority communities, immigrants who speak the minority language. The annual reports prepared by CIC as part of its obligations under section 41 of the Official Languages Act must provide information in this regard.

The Committee reiterates the importance of CIC support for the official language communities in their involvement in immigration issues. The Committee recommends that the Government of Canada ensure the permanence of such support, that the funding allocated to CIC in the coming years reflect a long-term strategy for the development and promotion of immigration for the benefit of the official language minority communities and that this objective be reflected in the

Department’s action plan.

RECOMMENDATION 4:

The Committee recommends that the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade take appropriate steps to ensure that Canada’s embassies, consulates and diplomatic missions reflect, in the course of their work of promoting Canada abroad, Canada’s linguistic duality and in particular the existence of French-speaking and English-speaking communities throughout the country. To achieve this, the Committee recommends that Canada’s embassies, consulates and diplomatic missions give equal space to both official languages on their Web sites, among other actions.

RECOMMENDATION 5:

The Committee recommends that those in charge of the Official Languages Support Program and the Multiculturalism Program of the Department of Canadian Heritage strengthen their collaborative relationships so as to meet the needs of the Francophone ethnocultural communities.

RECOMMENDATION 6:

The Committee recommends that from now on a language clause be included in all federal-provincial-territorial agreements on immigration, providing for the input of official language communities on all issues involving promotion, recruitment and immigration of new arrivals whose first language is that of the minority.

RECOMMENDATION 7:

With a view to facilitating the transition and integration of immigrants, the Committee recommends that CIC study the approach put forward by the Société franco-manitobaine and look into the possibility of targeting individuals and families in order to increase the chances of successful settlement in the same community.

RECOMMENDATION 8:

The Committee recommends that the Government of Canada take steps to ensure that the provinces and regulatory authorities treat foreign credentials equitably whether dealing with Francophone or Anglophone immigrants.

RECOMMENDATION 9:

The Committee recommends that the Department of Human Resources Development Canada, as a member of the CIC — FMC Steering Committee, step up its efforts to develop programs for the support and integration of new arrivals. Such programs would make it possible for new arrivals not only to acquire an initial experience in the labour market, but also to perfect their linguistic and professional skills. These initiatives would ensure that new arrivals would be able to contribute fully to their new community and to Canadian society.

RECOMMENDATION 10:

We recommend that all regional development agencies such as the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency and Western Economic Diversification Canada work together with the CIC — FMC Steering Committee to study ways to facilitate the integration of Francophone immigrants into minority communities.

RECOMMENDATION 11:

The Committee recommends that CIC ensure that the funding it allocates language training to LINC and CLIC reflect the objectives of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act with respect to the recruitment and settlement of immigrants in both of Canada’s two official language communities.

RECOMMENDATION 12:

The Committee encourages the official language minority communities to continue making immigration a priority in their development plans.

RECOMMENDATION 13:

The Committee recommends that the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration ensure that Bill C-18 stipulate that the citizenship ceremonies be conducted in both official languages and that linguistic duality be promoted.

RECOMMENDATION 14:

The Committee recommends that CIC, within the framework of the Canada-Quebec Agreement currently in effect, consult the representative bodies of Quebec’s Anglophone community to determine whether they would be interested in setting up a steering committee similar to that for the Francophone minority communities.