Official Languages Committee on March 13th, 2008

[Luc Harvey, Conservative, Louis-Hébert, QC]

I had raised my hand earlier, long before we had begun to speak to this motion, but that's fine.

[The Chair, Conservative, Steven Blaney]

Mr. Lemieux, it's your turn.

[Pierre Lemieux, Conservative, Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON]

Are we debating the motion? All right. I have a question, Mr. Chairman. How do these invitations normally go out? Are they sent in both official languages?

[The Chair, Conservative, Steven Blaney]

They are normally sent in the language of the person we are trying to reach. That's how it works on all committees, Mr. Lemieux. But if we don't know which language is—

[Pierre Lemieux, Conservative, Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON]

All right. A mistake was made and apologies have been presented. We are debating a motion which simply reaffirms the way the committee works. We can vote on the motion right away, but it's a bit superfluous because the committee already operates that way. Of course, mistakes happen from time to time, but we don't have to adopt a motion every time someone makes a mistake. As you said, the way our committee and every committee operates is that invitations are sent in both official languages.

[The Chair, Conservative, Steven Blaney]

Thank you, Mr. Lemieux.

Mr. Nadeau.

[Richard Nadeau, Bloc, Gatineau, QC]

Mr. Chairman, I just want to come back to the issue of inviting someone to appear before the committee, but not doing so in that person's mother tongue. I simply want to point out that we did not know what that person's mother tongue was. It was an honest mistake. We don't know everyone. So if we are to avoid this type of thing from happening in the future, I would simply ask that we make sure—and if this is done anyhow, so much the better, we will only reaffirm the way things are done in this motion—that we not offend the person whom we are contacting, and that to do so we contact the person in their official language, that is, in English or French. This applies to any correspondence by mail, any invitations or any type of correspondence coming from the Standing Committee on Official Languages of the Canadian Parliament.

It is therefore in this spirit and in order to be practical that the Standing Committee on Official Languages will show all citizens that it is aware of this matter. In future, when we are not sure what the mother tongue is of the persons we are trying to contact, we will send the information in both official languages, simply to avoid any unpleasant situations. So in that spirit I am asking that we put the motion.

[The Chair, Conservative, Steven Blaney]

Thank you.

Mr. Godin.

[Yvon Godin, NDP, Acadie—Bathurst, NB]

No, I'm fine.

[The Chair, Conservative, Steven Blaney]

Mr. Petit?

If no one else wishes to speak, we will put the motion to a vote. It reads as follows:

That all written correspondence from the Standing Committee on Official Languages including requests to appear be written in the language of the recipient and, in case of doubt, in both languages.

(Motion agreed to unanimously)

[The Chair, Conservative, Steven Blaney]

Thank you.

[Richard Nadeau, Bloc, Gatineau, QC]

I have a point of order, Mr. Chairman. I promise, I'm not saying this to impede our proceedings. At least I am consistent in what I do.

When will we adopt the proposed schedule? We have to do this because we did not do so at the last meeting. So I was wondering, out of respect for the rules, when we will go back to the agenda.

[The Chair, Conservative, Steven Blaney]

Mr. Nadeau, you've hit the nail on the head. As I mentioned last Tuesday, at the last meeting of the steering committee a proposed schedule regarding the appearance of witnesses was distributed. It will be changed depending on what the committee wants to do. For example, this morning we adopted the motion to invite Mr. Lord at the earliest opportunity, if I can put it that way. So the steering committee is presenting you with its recommendations, which were distributed last Tuesday. You will have had the opportunity to look at them.

I would briefly like to remind committee members that we are basically planning on undertaking two major reviews, the first being on agreements signed between the federal government and communities, and the second dealing with post-secondary education. Other issues will be studied on an ad hoc basis, as we are doing this morning with regard to the ombudsman and CFB Borden. As for how we shall proceed, someone will have to move the motion. We will then debate the issue.

Mr. Godin?

[Yvon Godin, NDP, Acadie—Bathurst, NB]

Mr. Chairman, I would like to move the motion. However, I think we should remember that this schedule covers a fairly long period of time ending on May 15 next. As long as we are flexible, we should be able to adapt to any potential changes. This schedule will give the clerk time to call witnesses and to organize our meetings, but in the event that—and I am speaking from experience— Mr. Lord does agree to come, for instance, we should be flexible enough to reschedule other witnesses. So I will move the motion, but with a small amendment allowing for flexibility when necessary.

[The Chair, Conservative, Steven Blaney]

So this is the proposed schedule.

Mr. Lemieux.

[Pierre Lemieux, Conservative, Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON]

I would like to support Mr. Godin's motion, which is that we approve the schedule but allow for a certain degree of flexibility. Indeed, nobody knows what will happen. I would also like to address some of the things that Mr. Rodriguez said. It's very important. He is right in saying that a witness showed up last week although his appearance had not been approved by the committee. So in principle, he is right.

We do not want to hear the witness because it hasn't been decided yet whether he should have been invited.

However, the witness was already here. He had prepared his notes and had a lot of information to convey to us. He was before the committee. We had to respect the fact that he had taken the time to show up, so we had to hear from him. That was the best thing to do.

It's like today. The National Defence and Canadian Forces ombudsman and other witnesses are here, even though we had not agreed to the schedule. They are ready to testify before the committee. They prepared their notes, they made sure that they were available. So out of respect for them, we must continue with the meeting.

In future, I would like the committee to adopt a schedule before any final decisions are taken with regard to witnesses and issues, as a true committee would do. We must respect the committee and all members who sit on it.

[The Chair, Conservative, Steven Blaney]

Thank you, Mr. Lemieux.

Now I have Mr. Rodriguez.

[Pablo Rodriguez, Liberal, Honoré-Mercier, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Earlier, I used the term "honesty". I said that Mr. Lemieux should show some honesty. I apologize, it was not the word I wanted to use. At no time did I presume Mr. Lemieux to be dishonest. I meant to say that he should be consistent since we cannot invite witnesses from a given list and then refrain from inviting the witnesses from that list based on the pretext that the list has not been adopted. It is in keeping with the principle mentioned earlier.

The subcommittee is comprised of members from different parties. We have all, including the chair, debated, discussed, and made decisions based on good will and the presumption that members of the committee of the whole would be in agreement. The subcommittee has carried out the task it was asked to do, and has done a good job.

That being said, can we move on to the next point, Mr. Chairman.

[The Chair, Conservative, Steven Blaney]

Thank you, Mr. Rodriguez.

Mr. Petit, you have the floor.

[Daniel Petit, Conservative, Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles, QC]

Since I am not a member of the steering committee, I would like to make a suggestion similar to Mr. Bélanger's suggestion to include Mr. Lord. This is an urgent issue. I would like to hear from representatives of the CBC concerning the offence made at the Panthéon gala. All Quebec artists were gagged. I would like the CBC to come here. It is a matter of respecting my language. I would like to know why the CBC put us under a gag order throughout the show. I'd like a representative of the CBC to appear as soon as possible.

I've already heard from National Defence officials in November. The CBC's offence has just occurred. This is a hot topic. I do not want to meet with them in six months. Since we are on the topic, I am entitled to table a motion immediately calling upon CBC representatives to answer our questions as soon as possible.

[The Chair, Conservative, Steven Blaney]

Mr. Petit, if I understand correctly, you are tabling a motion.

[Daniel Petit, Conservative, Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles, QC]

I would like it to be added, as the issue concerning Mr. Lord was added.

[The Chair, Conservative, Steven Blaney]

Since there is already a motion, we shall consider it as an amendment.

[Mauril Bélanger, Liberal, Ottawa—Vanier, ON]

One moment, Mr. Chairman, please.

[The Chair, Conservative, Steven Blaney]

That is a point of order.