Evidence of meeting #10 for Official Languages in the 41st Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was media.
A recording is available from Parliament.
9:30 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Michael Chong
I'll ask the clerk right now if he could let us know before Thursday's meeting how much longer it's going to take to get answers to the questions Mr. Bélanger posed.
9:30 a.m.
Liberal
Mauril Bélanger Liberal Ottawa—Vanier, ON
As well as the information they promised us.
Also, Mr. Chairman, do we have a schedule of future meetings? I would like to have more than one or two days' notice, in order to be better prepared.
9:30 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Michael Chong
Yes, I asked the clerk to start inviting witnesses that all three parties suggested. As soon as we get confirmation of their attendance, whether it's the next meeting or two to three meetings from now, I've asked him to issue the notice of meeting.
Unfortunately, we started inviting the witnesses about a week and a half ago, and many of them either could not appear or agreed to appear and then cancelled. We're trying to map it out as quickly as possible. I hope in the coming week we'll have a much better schedule for you.
9:30 a.m.
Liberal
Mauril Bélanger Liberal Ottawa—Vanier, ON
My next question is for our witnesses from the media.
Last week, we were told that the mid-term evaluation of the Roadmap, which the government is currently preparing and which should be completed by March, will not be made public.
Do you wish to comment on that?
9:30 a.m.
Conservative
9:30 a.m.
Conservative
Jacques Gourde Conservative Lotbinière—Chutes-de-la-Chaudière, QC
I don't understand why my colleague, Mr. Bélanger, is making that assertion. We never said that here in committee.
9:30 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Michael Chong
Okay. It's a point of information to ask that committee members focus on the issue at hand and ensure that their questions don't attribute remarks to other members that are not the case.
9:30 a.m.
Liberal
Mauril Bélanger Liberal Ottawa—Vanier, ON
Mr. Chairman, you told us that the parliamentary secretary had told you that the Roadmap would not be made public. You told us that at a meeting last week.
9:30 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Michael Chong
I was told that it wasn't available and that it wasn't going to be made public, so as I said before—
9:30 a.m.
Liberal
Mauril Bélanger Liberal Ottawa—Vanier, ON
Yes, and that's exactly what I'm saying. So, I want to put the question to you.
As journalists—
9:30 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Michael Chong
One moment. As I said before, those were remarks made by the chair. So before you attribute remarks to another member of the committee, make sure they're accurate.
As I've said before, you're free to use your time as you see fit. I've always said that. But let's focus on the business at hand here—
9:30 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Michael Chong
—and on the issues, rather than attributing remarks to other members. It makes the committee run more smoothly.
Thank you.
9:30 a.m.
Liberal
Mauril Bélanger Liberal Ottawa—Vanier, ON
So, someone—and we will not talk about the identity of that “someone”—told our chairman that the evaluation of the Roadmap would not be made public.
As media representatives, do you have any comment on that?
The government is going to be performing an assessment of the road map at the midway point. It should be completed by March, we're told. It's under way now.
We've also been advised by our chairman at the last meeting that it would not be made public. I was wondering, as media representatives, would you have comments on that?
9:30 a.m.
Conservative
9:30 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Michael Chong
Just one moment. The floor goes to Mr. Weston on a point of order.
Go ahead, Mr. Weston.
9:30 a.m.
Conservative
John Weston Conservative West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast—Sea to Sky Country, BC
Regarding what Mr. Bélanger just said, I remember that you stated that—
It has not been released yet, but that's—
9:35 a.m.
Conservative
John Weston Conservative West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast—Sea to Sky Country, BC
That's different from “it's not public”.
9:35 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Michael Chong
That's not a point of order, but as I've said before, let's focus on the business at hand.
Mr. Bélanger has the floor. He's free to use his time as he sees fit. I understand we have had a motion on the floor for the last 15 minutes that concerns this issue. Members will be able to debate then whether the report should be made public when it becomes available. Why don't we save that debate for those last 15 minutes? But let's give Mr. Bélanger the floor. He has his seven minutes and he's free to use them as he sees fit.
Mr. Bélanger—
9:35 a.m.
Liberal
Mauril Bélanger Liberal Ottawa—Vanier, ON
I'm not sure whether you are going to be allowed to answer my question.
9:35 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Michael Chong
Mr. Bélanger, I'm not finished yet.
You have the floor. Go ahead.
9:35 a.m.
Liberal
Mauril Bélanger Liberal Ottawa—Vanier, ON
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
I'm not sure whether you are going to be allowed to answer my question, but I will give it another try.
9:35 a.m.
Member of the Board of Directors, Editor, West Quebec Post, Quebec Community Newspapers Association
I can take this. Today I'm here as part of the Quebec Community Newspapers Association, although I do work in a newsroom and run the newsroom. As a media organization, we're always interested in all the details of any programming that affects us.
To be honest, the road map hasn't changed the world of making newspapers for the minority language community in Quebec, as I've mentioned. So whether it's made public shortly or a little bit longer time from now, I don't know how much it would affect the association.