Evidence of meeting #53 for Procedure and House Affairs in the 40th Parliament, 3rd session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was chair.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Joe Preston
Madame DeBellefeuille, I understand that, and you're being more than generous in helping us with this. But I'm about to rule that some of these points are not correct. I think you may want to know what they are exactly as we do each one. I'm just suggesting that may take a period of time.
I'll go to Mr. Lukiwski, Mr. Blaney, and then back to Monsieur Laframboise.
Conservative
Tom Lukiwski Conservative Regina—Lumsden—Lake Centre, SK
Thank you, Chair.
I share the same concerns that have been expressed around the table. I listened to the motion, but there were 16 or 17 points. Then you were starting to refer to points 2, 8, 10, 12, and I didn't have a copy in front of me. Members who wish to have it en français do not have a copy in front of them. I think it is patently unfair for us to try to determine whether this motion is acceptable or not without having the ability to read verbatim what the motion is.
Chair, I am suggesting that we suspend until such time as we have this document in both official languages for all members of the committee to examine.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Joe Preston
I see no other option.
Mr. McKay, I know it's your motion, and I have other speakers on this, but I'm going to speak from the chair at this moment and say that I suggest we suspend. Whether it's until later today, which seems impossible, with it being budget day.... More likely it will be until our regular scheduled meeting on Thursday.
The clerk suggested we could have it in about an hour. That makes it 12:15. I suppose we could reconvene at that point. I'm not certain it's giving us enough time to finish our work for today, but I'll leave it at that. Let's finish the discussion on this to see if we can come to a conclusion as a committee.
Mr. Blaney.
Conservative
Steven Blaney Conservative Lévis—Bellechasse, QC
Mr. Chair, I feel that you are heading towards a very interesting solution. I just remind you that I also have the pleasure and privilege to chair the Standing Committee on Official Languages. I humbly point out to you that no document can be distributed to committee members if it is not presented in both official languages. Clearly, we are not talking about a sentence of three or four words here, we are talking about a complete text.
I just want to urge you to respect parliamentary rules, as I am sure you will, by allowing all members of the committee, whether they speak French or English, to have access to the same information. So I feel you are on the right track because, as you know, in any committee, not just in the official languages committee but in all committees, documents may not be submitted in only one of the official languages. They must be submitted in both official languages.
Conservative
Bloc
Claude DeBellefeuille Bloc Beauharnois—Salaberry, QC
Mr. Chair, I have a point of order on what Mr. Blaney has just said.
It very frequently happens that we study motions on the spot in a language that is not our own. As francophones, we have to listen very carefully and have the motion repeated several times. We must be careful when Mr. Blaney says that we do not have a right to do that. I often accept unilingual documents or have the interpreters repeat documents that we have just received. But I understand that this is a long document and it would be good to have the French translation. If you are telling us that we will be getting it in an hour, that would be the best way to go.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Joe Preston
I'll take a couple of more speakers.
I'm inclined right now to suspend until 12:20 to see if--
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Joe Preston
When we do suspend, we'll set a time as to when we will reconvene.
I had Mr. Albrecht, Mr. Laframboise, and then Mr. Godin.
Conservative
Harold Albrecht Conservative Kitchener—Conestoga, ON
Mr. Chair, with due respect, I totally agree with my colleague, Madame DeBellefeuille. The difference here is that there are 17 points that we're going to discuss, in sequence or not, and I think it would be helpful for all of us to have them in front of us.
Bloc
Mario Laframboise Bloc Argenteuil—Papineau—Mirabel, QC
I have no problem with having the translation sent as soon as possible. We could then resume work around noon.
NDP
Yvon Godin NDP Acadie—Bathurst, NB
My comment is along the same lines, Mr. Chair. It is always best to have the translated document in our hands. There is no breach of the Standing Orders, because the document has not been submitted. A motion has been introduced. I echo Mrs. DeBellefeuille's comment that, as francophone members, we very often have to put up with motions that have been submitted in English. But given the length of this document, I am ready to support the motion.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Joe Preston
I agree.
So let's suspend until 12:15. We'll reconvene in this room at 12:15.
Liberal
Marcel Proulx Liberal Hull—Aylmer, QC
You have to realize that the French version was supplied by the Liberal Party of Canada, and obviously our employees are very used to talking about the Liberal Party of Canada, so in the first sentence in French there is a huge mistake. We're saying we are giving directions to members of the Liberal Party.
Liberal
