Government Operations Committee on March 9th, 2017

[Kelly McCauley, Conservative, Edmonton West, AB]

We applaud any improvements to this.

[Yaprak Baltacioglu]

The 30-day guarantee for personal information requests, you know that they're not always done in time. This is where, to establish—

[Kelly McCauley, Conservative, Edmonton West, AB]

That's a question I have: are you going to set up service goals or guarantees for returns on time? Sometimes delays can be quite lengthy.

[Yaprak Baltacioglu]

Right. Every department is focused on it, and the Information Commissioner makes sure that she reports on non-performance. Sometimes we're okay and sometimes we can do way better.

[The Chair, Conservative, Tom Lukiwski]

Monsieur Gourde.

[Jacques Gourde, Conservative, Lévis—Lotbinière, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Minister, has the proportion of all of these initiatives that required additional funds increased since 2015-16, or has it remained substantially the same?

[Scott Brison, Liberal, Kings—Hants, NS]

There are increases this year to meet certain important needs, for instance changes in our agreements with the public service of Canada. We negotiated agreements with the unions that represent over 80% of public servants. For instance, this year, in these supplementary estimates—

[Jacques Gourde, Conservative, Lévis—Lotbinière, QC]

Could you give us the proportion? I only have a few seconds left.

[Scott Brison, Liberal, Kings—Hants, NS]

—we are considering an increase to make sure we are ready to implement those agreements, after ratification by the members of the unions.

So that is a change.

[Jacques Gourde, Conservative, Lévis—Lotbinière, QC]

An official may provide the rest of the reply to the committee.

[Scott Brison, Liberal, Kings—Hants, NS]

Yes.

Thank you, Mr. Gourde.

[The Chair, Conservative, Tom Lukiwski]

Madam Shanahan, you have five minutes, please.

[Brenda Shanahan, Liberal, Châteauguay—Lacolle, QC]

Thank you, Chair, and thank you very much, Minister, for being here with us, and with your team.

I would like to give you a chance to answer the question that was asked by my colleague concerning access to information in both official languages.

[Scott Brison, Liberal, Kings—Hants, NS]

Thank you, Ms. Shanahan. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to reply to Mr. Ayoub's question.

It is a central and primordial priority for our government to ensure that government services are offered in both official languages throughout Canada.

We put in place a moratorium in order to ensure that we can continue to do so. Many offices throughout Canada were threatened with closure. We are going to do an in-depth review in order to consider changes to regulations. We are working in co-operation with Senators Tardif and Gagné, as well as with other Senate and House of Commons parliamentarians to advance those efforts.

I believe it is possible to protect government services in both official languages, and in certain cases to increase them thanks to the use of modern technologies that were not available previously. We have to consider creative, innovative approaches to improve services in both official languages throughout Canada, and we are going to continue to do that. I think we are on the right track, but we still have a lot of work to do.

Modernizing regulations is a priority for our government. We have in the past worked with Senator Chaput and we are continuing those efforts currently with Senators Gagné and Tardif, and members of the House of Commons. We are going to continue to defend the important right to receive government services in either official language.

[Brenda Shanahan, Liberal, Châteauguay—Lacolle, QC]

Excellent.

Moreover, may I congratulate you on the quality of your French, Minister.

[Scott Brison, Liberal, Kings—Hants, NS]

Thank you. It's not bad for a little guy from the Nova Scotia countryside.

In all honesty, I must say that I only learned French as an adult, in Ottawa. It was difficult.

For our two daughters, Rose and Claire, who are now three years old, we chose first names that could work as well in French as in English. We talk to them and we sing together in both official languages, but I am afraid they will develop my accent in French.

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[Scott Brison, Liberal, Kings—Hants, NS]

However, that is a priority for us. Our government's policies in this file reflect my personal priority to see to it that my children grow up in a country that is not only officially bilingual, but functionally and truly bilingual. It is a priority for their daddy.

[Brenda Shanahan, Liberal, Châteauguay—Lacolle, QC]

Very well.

Do I have any time left, Mr. Chair?

[The Chair, Conservative, Tom Lukiwski]

We'll have a final, three-minute intervention from Mr. Weir.

[Erin Weir, NDP, Regina—Lewvan, SK]

Thank you.

Minister Brison, the supplementary estimates include $3.8 million that the Privy Council Office spent on engagement and communication about electoral reform. Given that your government has abandoned its oft-repeated promise to make 2015 the last federal election conducted under first past the post, would you consider that $3.8 million to be money well spent?

[Scott Brison, Liberal, Kings—Hants, NS]

Money already spent. Consultation and engagement is never a waste. In fact, you may learn through that, there's not a consensus, and it's difficult to see exactly—

[Erin Weir, NDP, Regina—Lewvan, SK]

The overwhelming majority of respondents favoured a proportional voting system, yet your government decided not to move forward with that.

[Scott Brison, Liberal, Kings—Hants, NS]

The reality is that these consultations did not render a consensus. You and I may differ on that—

[Erin Weir, NDP, Regina—Lewvan, SK]

We may have to disagree on that.

Another item in the—