Official Languages Committee on April 28th, 2009

[Royal Galipeau, Conservative, Ottawa—Orléans, ON]

I will read it in French.

That the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages send to the Official Languages Committee, a regular update to be provided, at minimum, every three months, on the respect and promotion of the linguistic duality of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games as a whole, including the VANOC Advisory Committee on Official Languages, the broadcasting of the Games, and the compliance with the multi-party agreement clauses on official languages.

Rather than saying "the status of the francization", we would be saying "respect and promotion of the linguistic duality".

[The Chair, Conservative, Steven Blaney]

Very well, that was the amendment.

Mr. Lemieux on the amendment.

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

Yes, that is a good amendment from my colleague; thank you very much. I would also like to say that this is a good motion.

Members of this committee are working very hard here to ensure the Olympic Games are bilingual and an accurate reflection of our linguistic duality.

I strongly support this motion, because we need to maintain the momentum we have achieved thus far. We could try for a quarterly follow-up, although there is not much time left, unfortunately. Thankfully though, we can create a process, as set out in your motion. So, you have my support.

Thank you.

[Monique Guay, Bloc, Rivière-du-Nord, QC]

Thank you.

[The Chair, Conservative, Steven Blaney]

Thank you.

Mr. Godin.

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

This sounds like the Supreme Court, you've come a long way, my friend Pierre.

[Some members]

Oh oh!

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

What?

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

I think we may have forgotten one point. I just want to start a discussion. I may present a subamendment if it is possible to do so.

I'd also like us to add a section on the Internet, the web. It seems as though we've forgotten about it, yet it has become important. We are discussing television and radio broadcasting, but the Internet has become extremely important. Young people walk around connected to the Internet. It doesn't take anything away, we haven't really—

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

Multimedia?

[The Chair, Conservative, Steven Blaney]

Where?

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

On the various platforms.

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

On line four.

[The Chair, Conservative, Steven Blaney]

So: "...the broadcasting...".

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

On the various broadcasting platforms—

[Monique Guay, Bloc, Rivière-du-Nord, QC]

We could say "and multimedia".

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

If we say "the various platforms" it covers everything: the web, television, radio—

[The Chair, Conservative, Steven Blaney]

Television is important. In my opinion television and radio—

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

Broadcasting—

[Monique Guay, Bloc, Rivière-du-Nord, QC]

—and multimedia.

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

—and multimedia, that would cover—

[The Chair, Conservative, Steven Blaney]

—bilingual websites, etc.

[Monique Guay, Bloc, Rivière-du-Nord, QC]

Multimedia covers everything.

[The Chair, Conservative, Steven Blaney]

It covers everything.

I would say we can adopt a subamendment, without having a procedural issue. We have a motion, an amendment, and you are suggesting a subamendment.

[Monique Guay, Bloc, Rivière-du-Nord, QC]

All right.