Bill C-286 (Historical)

An Act to amend the Official Languages Act (provision of bilingual services)

Bill C-286

[Mauril Bélanger, Liberal, Ottawa—Vanier, ON]

Mr. Speaker, last February 28 the member for Saskatoon--Humboldt presented a private member's bill that caused a bit of a ruckus in this House. As I stated back then, his bill, now referred to as Bill C-286, would essentially gut the Official Languages Act and eliminate the rights of most linguistic minorities in the country, be they francophone or anglophone.

At the time I challenged the member for Saskatoon--Humboldt to select the bill should his name be drawn during the private members' business lottery. He accepted this challenge not only in the House but also in a press release dated April 3, 2001. I would be happy to table a copy. Despite all of this the member for Saskatoon--Humboldt did not select Bill C-286 when his name was drawn on April 11.

I can only conclude that the member for Saskatoon--Humboldt has finally realized the folly of Bill C-286 and I now invite him to do the honourable thing and withdraw the bill entirely.

Official Languages Act

[Jim Pankiw, Canadian Alliance, Saskatoon—Humboldt, SK]

Mr. Speaker, I regret to inform the House that Liberal intolerance and discrimination are not restricted to the actions and statements of the junior minister for multiculturalism. Yes, she openly promotes race based hiring programs, and yes, she is well known for fabricating stories that actually promote racism, but intolerance and discrimination are also the hallmarks of Liberal government language laws.

The current application of official bilingualism is unnecessarily costly, inherently discriminatory and a source of national divisiveness.

That is why I introduced my private member's bill, Bill C-286, which would bring common sense to the Official Languages Act and end the inherent discrimination of official bilingualism.

Predictably, Liberal members have engaged in personal attacks against me in an attempt to distract attention from the issue. I wish to inform the House that I accept the challenge of the member for Ottawa—Vanier. I take him up on his offer to assist me in bringing this issue before the House of Commons for a debate and a vote.

Bill C-286

[Mac Harb, Liberal, Ottawa Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I encourage all members of the House to strongly condemn the private member's bill, Bill C-286, an act to amend the Official Languages Act, introduced by an hon. member of the House.

The bill would take away the right of every Canadian to receive service from the federal government in either official language and eliminate the use of French in the public service.

It is yet another thinly veiled attempt by some members of the Alliance to break up our country through institutional intolerance.

This bill will put discrimination in legislation and deliberately destroy Canada's linguistic heritage.

I therefore call on all members of the House to stand firm for Canada and vote down this misguided and divisive bill.

[Mauril Bélanger, Liberal, Ottawa—Vanier, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I too rise today to speak on the matter of Bill C-286, introduced last February 28 by the member for Saskatoon—Humboldt.

This bill would redefine the criteria for the provision of government services in English and French so radically as to essentially eliminate the rights of most linguistic minorities in this country.

It is my fervent wish that the member's name will be drawn in the next private members' business lottery and that when it is that he will select Bill C-286 for inclusion on the list of priority items.

It is also my fervent wish that the subcommittee on private members' business would declare Bill C-286 a votable item. When that happens, it is my belief that the retrograde vision of our country contained in Bill C-286 will be overwhelmingly rejected in this House by the representatives of the people of Canada.

Official Languages Act

[Jim Pankiw, Canadian Alliance, Saskatoon—Humboldt, SK]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-286, an act to amend the Official Languages Act (provision of bilingual services).

Mr. Speaker, the purpose of the enactment is to redefine the criteria set out in the Official Languages Act so as to avoid unnecessary expense. In setting criteria for significant demand, the act states that 25% of the population of an area must speak an official language in order to warrant service in the language.

I would point out that in addition to restoring sanity to the language debate and to the language laws of our country, the amendment would end the current effort by the federal government to force the newly amalgamated city of Ottawa to be officially bilingual.

The amendment would result in a rational approach to bilingualism in which regions whose numbers did not warrant it would not incur unnecessary expense and unilingual Canadians would not be denied fair access to jobs in the public service.

(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)