Official Languages committee  I think the consultations already conducted are more than enough to prepare a bill. The government has in hand all the data it needs to prepare a bill that could be properly debated in Parliament. It's obviously important to take into account what we're discussing this evening.

Official Languages committee  All right.

Official Languages committee  It will be a pleasure. You must remember that the Emergency Measures Act replaced the War Measures Act in 1988, one week before the second Official Languages Act was passed. Members of Parliament had those two acts in mind in 1988. I think that was a missed opportunity because the members made it so that the two acts didn't speak to each other.

Official Languages committee  I would add as well that Canada is blessed with probably some of the best translators in the world, and to mobilize them in an emergency, I think, just makes common sense. Increasing their capacity to function and deliver their work to the federal government is a crucially important idea.

Official Languages committee  I'll give my speaking time to others, if they have any other perspectives. However, I think that Ms. Chouinard did a good job of making the important points.

Official Languages committee  Do I have to raise my hand?

Official Languages committee  Thank you for your questions, Ms. Ashton. I'll piggyback on what Mrs. Cardinal said. It's absolutely necessary that the Official Languages Act be modernized, and it's all the more important that we consider the lessons from the pandemic. You have before you four academics who will be delighted to read the white paper.

Official Languages committee  If I correctly understand your question, you're wondering whether a class action suit could be filed on behalf of francophones. I think the best way would be to support our umbrella organization, the Fédération des communautés francophones et acadienne du Canada, the FCFA. It files submissions with the government on behalf of francophones—of all those francophone communities—to assert their language rights more effectively.

Official Languages committee  Thank you for that excellent question, Ms. Lattanzio. I hope our study helps in outlining some potential solutions. What the FCFA intends to do, as my colleague Mrs. Cardinal explained at the outset, is propose to the government the wording of provisions that might be used to amend the Official Languages Act.

Official Languages committee  We have a year to complete it. We're already sending out invitations. Don't be surprised if you hear about us in the coming weeks.

Official Languages committee  Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. I would like to thank the honourable members of the committee for this opportunity to appear. The advantage of speaking last is that I can be more concise, because several comments I was going to make have already been said. That's great, as it will leave more time for discussion.

Official Languages committee  Yes.

Official Languages committee  As an ombudsman, the commissioner conducts investigations. If you put that question to Ontario commissioner François Boileau or former federal commissioner Graham Fraser, both of whom conducted many investigations, they'll tell you that every investigation is different, so they need a certain amount of leeway in order to adapt accordingly.

Official Languages committee  Thank you, Mr. Clarke, and thanks to all the members.

Official Languages committee  Whereas lawyers from common law, like me, would be more comfortable dealing with grey areas and would be able to find a way forward by relying on broader, more general concepts.