Evidence of meeting #55 for Official Languages in the 39th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was meeting.
A recording is available from Parliament.
9:05 a.m.
The Clerk of the Committee Mr. Graeme Truelove
Honourable committee members, I see a quorum.
Pursuant to Standing Order 106, the committee can now proceed to elect a chair. I am ready to receive motions for the election of the chair.
9:05 a.m.
Conservative
Pierre Lemieux Conservative Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON
I would like to move that Steven Blaney do take the chair.
9:05 a.m.
The Clerk
Mr. Lemieux moves that Mr. Blaney take the chair.
Are there other motions?
9:05 a.m.
The Clerk
Are there any other motions?
Is it the pleasure of the committee to adopt the motion?
(Motion agreed to)
9:05 a.m.
The Clerk
I declare Mr. Blaney duly elected chair of the committee.
9:05 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Steven Blaney
Good morning to you all.
First of all, I would like to thank you for placing your trust in me. Wouldn't it be nice if everything were done so simply, both here and in our ridings?
I am pleased to be here with you this morning. I had the opportunity to take part in the committee's work out West with members such as Mr. Simard, Mr. Murphy and Mr. Godin. I believe that those were productive consultations. I think that the committee has done some good work up until now. I was told that the Air Canada bill was at second reading. That project comes from one of the committee's recommendations. As well, a report by the committee is making its way to communities, where it is apparently being well received.
My role will be to ensure that we continue our work for the communities. I think that everyone around this table wants to help advance the cause of language communities across the country.
If I may, without further delay, I will ask the clerk what the committee's next step will be, unless someone would like to make any comments.
Mr. Clerk, can you tell us where our committee is at in its work?
9:05 a.m.
The Clerk
Two motions were passed by the committee on May 1st.
The first one, moved by Ms. Folco, is an invitation for the Commissioner of Official Languages, Mr. Graham Fraser, and the Honourable Josée Verner, Minister of the Francophonie and Official Languages, to appear as soon as possible in order to discuss their respective priorities and records.
9:05 a.m.
Liberal
Raymonde Folco Liberal Laval—Les Îles, QC
I apologize, but the motion was not passed; it was tabled.
9:05 a.m.
The Clerk
It was passed on May 1st.
The second motion, which was also passed on May 1st, was a request by the committee for Hockey Canada officials to appear on May 3rd, which they did.
During the upcoming meetings, we will hear from witnesses on the Court Challenges Program, the 2010 Olympic Games and the Canada-communities agreements.
9:05 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Steven Blaney
Very well.
I was told that a motion was moved and passed. Normally, it is the clerk who follows up with the minister and the Official Languages Commissioner. There are also three issues that a smaller committee could discuss to draw up lists of witnesses.
Do you have any information regarding the date of the minister's visit?
9:10 a.m.
The Clerk
No dates have been confirmed for any of the witnesses on that list.
9:10 a.m.
Liberal
Raymonde Folco Liberal Laval—Les Îles, QC
I suggest that we pursue the work that had been agreed on by the committee before the events we know about i.e., that we hear from witnesses on the cancelled Court Challenges Program.
I suggest also that we start right away, that is next Tuesday morning at 9:00 a.m. Other members might have witnesses they would like to hear from. However, I earnestly recommend that, on Tuesday morning, we pursue the work we were supposed to do a few weeks ago.
9:10 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Steven Blaney
You are proposing to continue the work that had been scheduled. Is that correct? Very well, we will continue to hear from witnesses.
9:10 a.m.
An hon. member
Is that a motion?
9:10 a.m.
Liberal
Raymonde Folco Liberal Laval—Les Îles, QC
For the time being, it is not a motion. I would like us to discuss this.
9:10 a.m.
Liberal
Raymonde Folco Liberal Laval—Les Îles, QC
I might then move a motion, depending on how other committee members will react.
9:10 a.m.
Liberal
Pablo Rodriguez Liberal Honoré-Mercier, QC
I am all for the idea of immediately working on the issue of the Court Challenges Program. I think that it is something that has to be on the agenda. Furthermore, Mr. Chairman, you mentioned the fact that a smaller committee could discuss the list of witnesses. However, members of the Standing Committee on Official Languages are not used to work in a smaller committee, isn't that so? Correct me if I am wrong, but that is something the whole committee does.
I would recommend that the same people appear, i.e., those who appeared the last time before the committee. I am referring to Ms. Lalonde, from SOS Montfort, and the officials responsible for the Court Challenges Program.
9:10 a.m.
NDP
Yvon Godin NDP Acadie—Bathurst, NB
First of all, Mr. Blaney, I want to congratulate you on your election as chair this morning. I hope that in doing so we have turned a page. I also hope that we will truly dedicate ourselves to the well-being of Canadian francophone and anglophone communities. That is the mandate of the Standing Committee on Official Languages. It is a very important mandate and I do hope we will respect it. I want to wish you all the best. I already know you and I think that things will go well.
I also agree that we have to continue examining the issue of the Court Challenges Program, to carry out our mandate. I think that the people who were supposed to appear should be the first ones invited back, so that they have the opportunity to testify. In fact, the committee has now regained its legitimacy. We can also submit a list of witnesses. Some witnesses are very important and have to be heard. This is a discussion we should perhaps have.
We could also consider inviting the Commissioner of Official Languages to explain his report and answer our questions. I think we could hear from him while dealing with the Court Challenges Program. Those are some issues that are of great concern to us.
I would also like to examine the issue of Radio-Canada. This has become a real problem. The Société Nationale de l’Acadie, or SNA, is currently attacking Radio-Canada. For example, the Atlantic region is not getting its fair share. Since Radio-Canada dropped its RDI en direct/Atlantique program, we honestly have lost our place. Radio-Canada officials said they wanted to be more active on the ground, that there would be more live broadcasts, among other things. Very often, when people from RDI call us, it is just to record a broadcast.
I have often joked that when a cat is run over on St. Catherine Street in Montreal, news from the Atlantic is preempted to broadcast the story of the cat. You understand what I'm saying? In the past, you could file a complaint, but now, that is not even possible. We no longer know where the cutbacks are made. In fact, they broadcast our programs when they so wish. The papers this morning talk about a convention that will be held here on the weekend. It is mentioned that the SNA is waging war on against Radio-Canada, RDI and the like. Radio-Canada's behaviour, as a national public television broadcaster, is unacceptable.
I would simply like for that issue to be placed on agenda so that we can deal with it eventually. This is not the first time that issue has come up, but it is something we have to address.
Thank you.
9:10 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Steven Blaney
Thank you, Mr. Godin.
Before handing the floor over to Mr. Harvey—
9:15 a.m.
Conservative
