Official Languages Committee on Dec. 4th, 2013

[Jacques Gourde, Conservative, Lotbinière—Chutes-de-la-Chaudière, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

I listened closely to everything that was said and I respect what was said. The common denominator in the views expressed was ultimately safety. We know what happened at the Maritime Rescue Centre in Quebec over the last two years. I can assure you that, since then, the government has provided services in both official languages, and it did so perfectly. This issue is not related to official languages. I understand that people have questions about safety, and so that really falls to the Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans. I don't agree that this is an official languages issue, since there is no evidence supporting the fact that services were not offered in both English and French in Quebec over the last two years.

However, as far as safety is concerned, that I understand. Therefore, this matter should be sent to the Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans, which has more expertise in issues involving the safety of Canada's waterways, especially in the area we are talking about. That committee is no doubt the place where there will be an explanation for how long it took to react after calls were placed. This is not an official languages issue. If we were able to show that official languages were problematic in Quebec today, which is the starting point for all of this, I would understand. However, if we are concerned about safety, protocol and response time after a call has been received, that is the purview of the Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans.

We are going to vote against this motion, because we believe that the matter should be studies by the Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans. That committee will decide what needs to be done. I would invite Ms. Papillon to take her case to the Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans. I think that this is the right way to go.

[The Chair, Conservative, Michael Chong]

Thank you, Mr. Gourde.

Anyone else?

Mr. Godin, you have the floor.

[Yvon Godin, NDP, Acadie—Bathurst, NB]

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

I cannot just sit here without saying anything.

Mr. Gourde said that there had not been any problems, but the fact is that the transfer still has not taken place.

Mr. Gourde, that is not the issue. The government announced the transfer, and we are asking the government to conduct a study before proceeding with it. It's not what happened today or since 2011 that is at issue. We want to have a study on the transfer which was announced. I want all Canadians and all Quebeckers to understand this. We are not questioning either what is happening now, nor the expertise which is in Quebec. We want everything to stay the way it is.

It's a language issue. If a person calls Halifax or Trenton, and that person hears: "I don't speak French", that's a serious problem. I don't know if other committee members have interpreted this the way you have, but I believe that we have been clear: we want to discuss the government's announcement to close the Maritime Rescue Centre in Quebec, and to transfer its activities to Halifax and Trenton.

A little earlier, I spoke to someone from Tabusintac, New Brunswick, who had called Halifax, and she talked about the service she had received. We don't want that type of situation to be repeated.

Today, the government intends to close the centre in Quebec and transfer its activities to Halifax and Trenton. However, the reason why the Standing Committee on Official Languages is involved in this matter is simple: in that situation, safety was at issue because the people in Halifax and Trenton did not speak the same language as those in Quebec. If people understand each other, things will work themselves out, but if they do not share the same language, there will be problems. It seems to me that this is not difficult to understand. I don't want to be mean in saying this, but if you don't get it, you've got a serious problem. It's obvious what we are talking about.

Regardless, we are ready to vote.

[The Chair, Conservative, Michael Chong]

Ms. Papillon, you have the floor.

[Annick Papillon, NDP, Québec, QC]

I will make some final remarks.

In my view, this is more than a safety issue; it is truly an issue of official languages. We know that these are difficult days for bilingualism, especially here, in Ottawa. I think we could do something meaningful. Listen to this; I think it says a lot.

In the early hours of May 18, at about 4:30 a.m., a small fishing boat capsized in the Tabusintac channel, in New Brunswick, and the three men on board died. After having gone out in an attempt to save the men, a francophone fisherman called the Halifax rescue centre to provide information on the search that he had conducted and to ask for new instructions. An anglophone answered his call. After that, he called back five or six times. The second time, another anglophone answered. He had to wait for his call to be transferred to someone who spoke French. He spoke to a francophone the other times.

That situation occurred after a visit by the Commissioner of Official Languages representative to the Halifax centre, last February, and after the coast guard had ensured the commissioner that it would take steps to make the rescue centres in Halifax and Trenton bilingual before closing the Quebec Maritime Rescue Sub-Centre, which is already bilingual.

Let's summarize the incident. A francophone fisherman had to call three times—I repeat: three times—before being able to talk to a French-speaking coordinator at the Halifax centre. There was a francophone team member on the shift when the first call came in, but he was busy elsewhere. That is unacceptable. It proves that operations cannot be effective if only some staff members at a rescue centre are bilingual. For a centre that manages emergencies to be truly effective, 100% of the staff must be bilingual.

Following his visit to Halifax, the Commissioner of Official Languages announced that there would be another visit in November to ensure that all of his recommendations were being followed. If they were not being followed, public safety and the safety of navigators would not be guaranteed. Bear in mind nonetheless that the Commissioner of Official Languages is looking after this file. That shows that it is not simply a safety issue, but also an official language issue. That is why having our committee discuss the problem is not completely off base.

I can clearly see what will happen if we leave this matter to the Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans. They will pass the buck back and forth. I am looking at everyone around this table, and I personally think that Canadians are paying taxes for us to be here discussing this. I don't think it would be a good idea to throw their money out the window. That makes no sense. We must examine the issue.

When you make decisions, you must take full responsibility for them. If the minister and her government saw fit to make this decision and if she is convinced that she has made the best decision of her life, the best decision on the planet, she needs to come and defend it. My colleague was right when she said that. It would be very appropriate for the minister to come and explain the situation to us. She could provide us with an explanation on some incidents that have occurred, like the one last May 18 or others.

This is more than a safety issue; this is also a language issue. The two aspects are intertwined. You have to understand that. I know that many people from Quebec, even some Conservatives, voted against the decision. Closing that centre makes no sense.

Having said that, I had to allow myself these final remarks. It would be completely wrong to say that this issue is not linked to official languages. I hope that people will listen to reason. That is really what it is about at this committee.

[The Chair, Conservative, Michael Chong]

Thank you, Ms. Papillon.

Do any other committee members want to speak?

Ms. Bateman, you have the floor.

[Joyce Bateman, Conservative, Winnipeg South Centre, MB]

I would like to clarify something, Mr. Speaker. What does the word "grenu" mean?

[Annick Papillon, NDP, Québec, QC]

Do you mean the word "saugrenu"?

[Joyce Bateman, Conservative, Winnipeg South Centre, MB]

Yes.

[Annick Papillon, NDP, Québec, QC]

It means something that is completely far-fetched.

[Joyce Bateman, Conservative, Winnipeg South Centre, MB]

Thank you. It is a nice word, and the new word of the day.

[Annick Papillon, NDP, Québec, QC]

Good, you're welcome.

[The Chair, Conservative, Michael Chong]

All right.

[Yvon Godin, NDP, Acadie—Bathurst, NB]

It is a frog that fell into a lake and does not know where it's going.

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Chair, Conservative, Michael Chong]

We'll have the vote on the amendment. We'll have a recorded vote. I'll pass the floor to the clerk.

(Amendment negatived: nays 6; yeas 5)

[The Chair, Conservative, Michael Chong]

We're back to the main motion. Is there any discussion on the main motion?

Mr. Dionne Labelle, do you want to make a comment?

[Pierre Dionne Labelle, NDP, Rivière-du-Nord, QC]

Perhaps, since we have some time left.

It is mainly for Mr. Gourde. Someone who represents a riding along the river, in Quebec, near a rescue centre, and who decides to go ahead with closing this centre...

[Jacques Gourde, Conservative, Lotbinière—Chutes-de-la-Chaudière, QC]

But the boats are still there for the rescues. Frankly, it's demagogy...

[The Chair, Conservative, Michael Chong]

Mr. Dionne Labelle, you have the floor.

[Pierre Dionne Labelle, NDP, Rivière-du-Nord, QC]

If the government does not plan to close the centre, it should say so openly. I think that it should not only be kept open, but that we must ensure there are better bilingual services in that area. Safety must be enhanced. There will be oil tankers, and all of the pipeline projects, among other things. The water on the river will be as rough as it has ever been. I think that safety issues will be of crucial importance. I don't see how we will be able to provide safety for Quebeckers and other boaters using the river if we don't have a bilingual centre in Quebec.

We are talking about a member from the Quebec region who is not fighting for jobs and to protect the French language.

I wonder how you will get reelected. That is my question.

[The Chair, Conservative, Michael Chong]

Thank you, Mr. Dionne Labelle.

I will not answer your question.

Are there any other comments?

Seeing none, we'll have a recorded vote. I'll pass the floor to the clerk, for a vote on the main motion as moved by Mr. Godin.

(Motion negatived: nays 6; yeas 5)

[The Chair, Conservative, Michael Chong]

Mr. Godin, do you want to move another motion?

[Yvon Godin, NDP, Acadie—Bathurst, NB]

Yes, Mr. Chair.

My next motion reads as follows:

That the committee invites the President and Chief Executive Officer of CBC/Radio-Canada, Hubert T. Lacroix, to appear before the Committee prior to the end of February 2014 [...]

I made a small change, here.

[The Chair, Conservative, Michael Chong]

At the end of January or February?