Official Languages Committee on Feb. 15th, 2024

[Joël Godin, Conservative, Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC]

My colleague said that I moved the motion three times.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

That's not a point of order.

[Marc Serré, Liberal, Nickel Belt, ON]

No. That's not what I said.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

As chair of the committee, it is my role to tell you that the committee can't debate this and we must now vote on adjourning the debate.

If there's a point of order on the request for a vote on adjourning debate, I'll hear it. If not, we will proceed with the vote so that we can then hear from the witnesses.

So we will vote on the adjournment of debate.

(Motion negatived: nays 6; yeas 5)

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

We are resuming debate on Mr. Godin's motion and the proposed amendment to that motion by Mr. Serré. We'll start with the amendment. Is there any further discussion on this amendment?

I don't see anyone online who wishes to speak.

Mr. Godin, do you have a question?

[Joël Godin, Conservative, Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC]

As you can see, no one wishes to take the floor, so I will ask you to call the vote.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

To be polite, I was looking at each member of the committee. I often don't see that members attending the meeting virtually have raised their hand on the screen.

We will now vote on Mr. Serré's amendment, which proposes that the chair send a letter to the minister rather than proceeding according to Mr. Godin's original motion.

(Amendment negatived: nays 6; yeas 5)

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

We will now vote on Mr. Godin's main motion.

[Darrell Samson, Liberal, Sackville—Preston—Chezzetcook, NS]

Excuse me, Mr. Chair. I would ask that the motion be read a second time.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

Okay.

That the Committee report to the House its disappointment at the refusal of the Minister of Canadian Heritage, the Honourable Pascale St‑Onge, to testify before the committee regarding her mandate and priorities with respect to official languages, as well as her obligations in connection with the implementation of the Act to amend the Official Languages Act, to enact the Use of French in Federally Regulated Private Businesses Act and to make related amendments to other Acts.

[Marc Serré, Liberal, Nickel Belt, ON]

I request that we suspend, Mr. Chair.

[Laila Goodridge, Conservative, Fort McMurray—Cold Lake, AB]

A point of order.

I find it absolutely incredible that the governing party has just said that it doesn't want to waste time, but is now trying to waste time.

I have some important questions for Mr. Dupuis. I'm proud to welcome another Franco-Albertan today. We must give him the time he deserves.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

Thank you, Mrs. Goodridge.

Mr. Godin has the floor.

[Joël Godin, Conservative, Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC]

Yes, we're hearing two things from the government representatives. They want to save time, but they are wasting it. They asked that the amendment and motion be read again. They are asking for a suspension.

Mr. Chair, I find this unacceptable and disrespectful of our witnesses. As our colleague said, some people got up very early this morning because they are in a different time zone.

I thank Mr. Dupuis for being here and for being patient.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

Mr. Serré has the floor.

[Marc Serré, Liberal, Nickel Belt, ON]

Mr. Chair, in terms of wasting time, the Conservative Party is the source of this hypocrisy.

There were witnesses here, and once again the Conservatives introduced motions about witnesses and ministers. There are other motions. If we want to vote on it, let's vote on it. Let's go.

Mr. Godin repeated the same thing five times. I think it's time we get started.

[Joël Godin, Conservative, Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC]

I have a point of order, Mr. Chair.

[Marc Serré, Liberal, Nickel Belt, ON]

No point of order is in order. We have witnesses here. It's time to talk to the witnesses. There are important things to do in committee.

[Joël Godin, Conservative, Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC]

I have a point of order, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

Thank you, Mr. Serré.

[Marc Serré, Liberal, Nickel Belt, ON]

They're playing political games again. We have witnesses here from Alberta and New Brunswick. Witnesses from Sudbury are coming. I think we can start hearing from the witnesses.

[Laila Goodridge, Conservative, Fort McMurray—Cold Lake, AB]

Let's vote on it.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

Thank you, Mr. Serré.

Mr. Godin has a point of order.

[Joël Godin, Conservative, Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC]

Mr. Chair, I find my colleague's comments unacceptable and I would like him to apologize. He accuses me of speaking too often to repeat the same thing, which is totally wrong. That's what he just did. He just repeated exactly the same thing he said earlier.

Mr. Chair, I would ask my colleague to apologize.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

As far as I'm concerned, Mr. Godin, none of the language used by either party was in violation of the rules. I believe that the witnesses as well as all the people listening to us in Canada have noticed that both sides are doing some political manoeuvring.

Do the members want to vote? If we want to get things moving, I think that we should get to the vote. That's what Mr. Serré just said.

Is the committee ready for the vote? I see Mr. Généreux nodding in agreement. Are you okay with that, Mr. Godin?