Rural Dialogue
St-Jean-Baptiste, Manitoba

Meeting Particulars

Information on the session

St-Jean-Baptiste, Manitoba - FRENCH
June 15, 1998
From 5:30 to 9:00 pm

Questions

1. A) Rural residents are concerned about the future of their communities.
What are the key strengths of your community as you look to the future?

1. B) What are the biggest challenges that you, your family and your community face as you look to the future?

2.A) What is preventing you and your community from overcoming these challenges? What is holding you back?

2. B) What needs to be done?

3. What organizations, levels of government or others should be involved in working to overcoming these challenges?

4. What role do you see specifically for the federal government in working with you to overcome these challenges?

5. How can federal programs and services better support your community's needs (e.g., are there changes needed in the design, delivery, awareness or accessibility)?

6. What is the best way for the Federal Government to continue to hear the views of rural people on an ongoing basis (e.g., meetings, surveys, polls, newsletters, advisory groups, the Internet, etc.)?

Findings

1. Rural residents are concerned about the future of their communities.
1. A)What are the key strengths of your community as you look to the future?

Due to the geographic diversity of participants at the session, the responses can be categorized as general or region-specific.

• Cultural diversity;
• Bilingualism;
• A good lifestyle;
• Access and openness to new communications technologies;
• The economy of the rural areas of Western Canada is strong and stable;
• The Francophone community benefits from a close-knit network and effective teamwork. There is a sense of identity and solidarity. Volunteering is very strong. The people are tenacious and resourceful;
• There are networks of well-established resources in several areas. An effective cultural and educational structure helps to bring Francophones together;
• Francophones are assuming a leadership role;
• Economic survival promotes cultural survival;
• The entrepreneurial spirit;
• Francophones have a sufficient income, ie, a financial base;
• Strategic planning developed by the communities;
• Agriculture - the skills of the people in farming. Diversified agriculture with many specialized crops;
• Tourist attractions;
  Manitoba

• The Manitoba Government supports the initiatives taken by Francophone communities.
• Manitoba's Francophone communities are beginning to organize economically. These rural communities have acquired association resources, such as the AMBM (Association de municipalités bilingues du Manitoba), the Conseil de développement économique des municipalités bilingues du Manitoba [Economic Development Council for Manitoba Bilingual Municipalities] (CDEM) and the Caisses Populaires (credit unions), which are merging. This encourages local consolidation.
• Manitoba Sports provides assistance to sport and recreation.
• Many Francophone and bilingual communities in Manitoba are located on major highways (Routes 75 and 59).
  Saskatchewan

• St. Louis : near a major city;
• Bellevue : the French school;
• Bellegarde : tenacious volunteers;
• Gravelbourg : Collège Mathieu;
• St-Denis : young people are interested in participating, rural industries managed by Francophones;

• Keeping people, especially young people, in rural communities;
• Involving young people on the farm and in the rural economy;
• Keeping abreast of technology;
• Access to good training;
• Rural communities have very little industry. They rely mainly on primary industry. There is a lack of activity in the secondary sector;
• Launching new businesses is difficult. There is little funding available for launching. There should be grants available for business start-ups;
• The small turnover makes it very difficult for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs);
• There are too many studies and not enough funds;
• Upgrading each of the qualities we possess;
• Breaking out of isolation (improving communication);
• Promoting a sense of belonging to Canada (bilingual):
• Coping with volunteer burnout due to a lack of human resources;
• Keeping French culture vibrant;
• Training and informing communities about developing and successfully implementing community and business plans;
• Ensuring that the communities learn to work together;
• Working against the multinationals;
• The federal government's French-language services are often not accessible in our communities.

• Government programs are too general. There is nothing specific;
• There is a lack of information about available resources. This creates confusion;
• There is a lack of leadership and of entrepreneurs;
• There is a lack of planning and of vision;
• Lack of expertise available to Francophone communities;
• Lack of training and sensitization for volunteers;
• Education is too expensive when the additional costs are included for travel and housing in urban areas. There is a need for specialized training in rural communities;
• Sources of funding for business are barely adequate or inadequate. There is a lack of start up funds and capital funds;
• People lack confidence to invest locally;
• Lack of diversification among industries and sectors of the economy;
• The disappearance of small farms is reducing the population;
• Agricultural and food policy formulated by our political leaders;
• Blockages by the Wheat Board.

• Conduct consultations with rural communities before setting up a program;
• Improve coordination between government departments;
• Establish one-stop shopping for government services in rural communities;
• Develop a better system for selecting representatives to consultations and round tables;
• Help the growth of value added industries such as processing in the forest industry, the agricultural sector, etc
• Develop training programs and facilitate access to relevant information to help diversify the economy and facilitate industrial transformation;
• Educate, train and sensitize young rural entrepreneurs;
• Young people should have more financial support;
• Distribute grants more fairly to encourage small businesses;
• Encourage groups of shareholders;
• Encourage and promote cooperatives;
• Encourage partnerships;
• Give farmers the option of participating in the Wheat Board for a period of three to five years;
• Encourage business plans, strategic plans and community vision;
• Have more mutual assistance between Francophone communities;
• Work closely with our government representatives (be persistent);

• Federal government
• Agriculture Canada
• Industry Canada
• Commissioner of Official Languages
• Western Economic Development
• Heritage Canada
  Manitoba

• Conseil de développement économique des municipalités bilingues du Manitoba (CDEM);
• Community Futures Development Corporation (CFDC);
• Various provincial government departments.
  Saskatchewan

• Agriculture Saskatchewan;
• Saskatchewan Opportunities Corporation;
• Saskatchewan Department of Tourism;
• Conseil de la Coopération de la Saskatchewan.
  British Columbia and Alberta

• Provincial Human Resources departments
  Miscellaneous

• Private enterprise;
• The credit unions and banks
  How should these entities be involved?

• Federal and provincial government representatives should travel around to rural communities;
• Programs and services should be designed with greater flexibility and fewer constraints to adjust to needs;
• Give more power and freedom to rural communities, as Francophone economic organizations are more responsive because of their presence in the communities and their flexibility;
• Help to develop such rural strengths as the economic development corporations;
• Seek out the expertise and experience of current or retired entrepreneurs;
• Volunteer groups can do a certain amount, but resources are required to develop expertise to move on to the project implementation stage with projects;
• A funding and training program for entrepreneurs;
• Ensure that human resources are available to deliver these services;
• Respect the Francophone identity;
• Have broader rural policies which target sectors other than agriculture.
  Manitoba

• Let government continue to provide funding for community economic development corporations. These corporations were established with government help, but their work is only just beginning, and so the dynamism that has been developed to date should not be lost;

• Ensure that the funding and services required are available to the communities;
• Provide human resources training;
• Support summer job creation (eg, Career Focus);
• Provide community development funding;
• Be visible and genuinely present in our communities;
• Create sponsorship programs so that established business can help young people. Those that offer this service would be eligible for tax credits, etc ...
• That government resources, particularly in rural communities, provide more assistance to small business instead of large companies, as they do now;
• Help to develop or provide access to greater expertise;
• Develop more flexible programs;
• Have an ombudsman;
• Help traditional businesses;
• Make provision for ongoing program evaluation by program users and prepare an annual report;
• Maintain programs which are worthwhile instead of abandoning them and creating new ones;
• Facilitate and promote the French identity in minority communities;
• Allow ideas, programs and projects to be identified on an individual and community basis;
• Allow administrative resources (such as CDEM and CFDC) to provide funding for entrepreneurs which are not grants, but are repayable based on the number of jobs created or the success of the business;
• Avoid duplication of programs and services by encouraging communication between the federal provincial governments and working towards one-stop shopping.

• Programs should be designed on an individual and community basis. There should be ongoing consultations in the regions prior to program design. It would be preferable to choose round table participants to ensure effective representation (eg, young entrepreneurs);
• Conduct research into the needs of Francophone communities;
• Develop general, flexible programs. For example, programs that have the flexibility to accommodate community initiatives;
• Encourage value added projects in rural communities;
• Establish a $100 million program: 50% for large companies and 50% for small companies;
• Improve service delivery and distribution points for government services in French;
• Program delivery: have an agency responsible for the entire program. Its mandate should be "Make it happen!" and it should offer one-stop shopping;
• Improve access to information in rural communities. Have one-stop shopping for information on all federal and provincial programs and services. Governments should use Francophone organizations to deliver services in French;
• Implement Sections 41 and 42 of the Official Languages Act;
• Provide training in communication and career planning;
• Ensure that all Francophone communities are visible;
• Ensure that programs and services are located in Francophone communities.

• Follow-up on this session here;
• Encourage meetings such as this with rural communities and local organizations;
• Improve dissemination of information about such meetings;
• Extend this consultation to include consultations with Francophones in other regions (provinces);
• Establish links with our community development corporations to ensure contact on a more regular basis;
• Come and visit us in the regions to find out our needs and ensure that the evaluations are followed up;
• The process is too long and drawn out for business;
• Help communities to identify Francophones and the areas of activity in which they are engaged;
• Help local communities and groups affected by technological change;
• Facilitate the posting of information in both of Canada's official languages;
• Listen to the communities and act accordingly;
• Take the problem of rural depopulation seriously;
• Show interest in really helping us.

All Rural Dialogue session reports on this Canadian Rural Partnership (CRP) web site are included for information purposes only. The views expressed in the Rural Dialogue session reports have not been edited and are those of one or many rural Canadians who attended the Rural Dialogue sessions.

The views expressed in the Rural Dialogue session reports do not necessarily represent the views of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada or any other department or agency of the Government of Canada. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada does not make any warranties, expressed or implied, as to the content and/or use of the Rural Dialogue session reports.