Thank you, Mr. Chair.
It is important that I be here today as the Conservative Party's official languages critic and vice-chair of the Standing Committee on Official Languages.
I'd like to move the following motion:
Given that, The Prime Minister has shown a lack of respect for French by appointing a Governor General despite her inability to speak French; That the media reported on September 25, 2024, that the Governor General was still unable to hold a conversation in French during a visit to a community centre in Lévis, Quebec, and had to cancel planned activities during her trip to Quebec for this reason; The Committee report to the House its deep disappointment in the Prime Minister for failing to appoint a bilingual Governor General and the Governor General’s lack of progress in learning French, despite the tens of thousands of dollars in public funds spent on her lessons; The Committee write a letter to the Official Languages Committee recommending that it undertake, as soon as possible, an in‑depth study of the process led by the Prime Minister which resulted in the appointment of the Governor General, in defiance of normal official language requirements and in contempt of French‑speakers in Quebec and across Canada.
This motion is most relevant, given the inaction of the past nine years of this government and the Prime Minister, who is responsible. It has neither the will nor the intention to defend the francophonie across Canada, and that has resulted in the appointment of a Governor General who does not speak French. I say that with all due respect to Ms. Simon. She is not the problem; it is our Prime Minister. We have to make sure that the people concerned come and testify before the Standing Committee on Official Languages in order to produce a report on the issue.
Thank you, Mr. Chair.