Evidence of meeting #4 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 report.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Michael Chong
I would like to welcome everyone to this fourth meeting of the Standing Committee on Official Languages. We are here to conduct committee business, in particular to discuss the routine motion on the order of questions. You have the motion and the amendment to this motion, which we discussed at our third meeting in June. We are going to continue the discussion about Mr. Aubin's amendment to Mr. Galipeau's motion.
Would any members like to discuss this? Mr. Bélanger, you have the floor.
Liberal
Mauril Bélanger Liberal Ottawa—Vanier, ON
Mr. Chair, I would like to speak for the last time on this topic, if you will allow me. I would like to try to give a summary because I think the committee needs to discuss something other than procedure.
What we have before us is a question of fairness. We must try to create a situation where we can all work together. During the proceedings, I gave an example, probably the best—no, definitely the best—example I could find in a situation involving a minority government where there were five parties in the House that were sitting on a committee. All the parties were able to speak during each round, which broke down to 20% per party. I thought it was a wonderful example of cooperation. I don't expect it to be the same in this case.
I also spoke about the history of this committee, in which we have always supported the ability of all the parties, including the third and fourth when there were three and four, to speak during almost every round. I thought we had reached an agreement at a certain point with the main government representative on this topic, but this does not seem to be the case. In the end, under that agreement, one of the government's frustrations was eliminated, which is that member could attend an entire meeting and not have an opportunity to speak. I'll admit that this has happened to me and I found it very frustrating. That needed to be resolved. I thought we had found a compromise, but that doesn't seem to be the case.
We have before us the amendment to the resolution, which I think is acceptable. I am going to vote in favour of it. I hope that others will as well so that we can proceed fairly. However, I do not intend to drag out the discussion. I think we need to get down to it and work constructively for the well-being of everyone, so we can perform our duties.
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Conservative
NDP
Yvon Godin NDP Acadie—Bathurst, NB
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I'll echo Mr. Bélanger. I may be repeating myself, but sometimes that's what we have to do. I have been sitting on this committee for a good long time now. Mr. Galipeau continues to call me "the veteran", even though I haven't retired yet.
I think it's important to move forward. I am prepared to support this amendment. It is a compromise and, at the same time, it gives all the parties a chance. I must say, for both the Liberals and the Conservatives, that I have been on this committee since 1998 and that there has always been a great deal of respect. Actually, I had the right to speak as the representative for my political party. I think that we have done good work together, and I am ready to support this amendment.
I am eager to have the committee start working because we have work to do. Two communities are following our committee's progress, there are two official languages in this country and we have a lot of work to do. There are concerns in these communities across the country and we need to get to work quickly so that we can find solutions together and make recommendations to the government. Because the most this committee can do is make recommendations. We are doing our work, we are conducting our studies, we are making recommendations to the government and, at the end of the day, the government makes the decisions. The government was elected and has the power, so it must make the decision. But we can influence the government by making recommendations. It is important for this committee's work.
For these reasons, I will support this amendment, and I ask my colleagues to do the same.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Michael Chong
Thank you, Mr. Godin.
Do any other committee members want to add anything? I see that no one does. In that case, we will proceed with the vote.
(The amendment is defeated.)
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Michael Chong
We are now at Mr. Galipeau's motion. You have the motion in front of you.
Would any committee members like to discuss this motion?
Mr. Godin, go ahead.
NDP
Yvon Godin NDP Acadie—Bathurst, NB
I will vote against the motion and here's why. Let's look at what Mr. Galipeau is suggesting. I have been on a number of committees, and I have never seen the government party ask the witnesses questions first. If I understand it correctly, according to the proposal, the government party would go first?
Conservative
Conservative
NDP
Yvon Godin NDP Acadie—Bathurst, NB
Okay. I was looking further down. I didn't see the first few lines of the motion. So the first round will be: the official opposition party, government party, third party, government party.
Okay, let's vote.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Michael Chong
Do any other members want to say anything?
I give the floor to Mr. Aubin, then Mr. Bélanger.
NDP
Robert Aubin NDP Trois-Rivières, QC
Without going back to my amendment that was defeated, I would mention that it at least respected alternation, but in this case, unless I'm mistaken, the conservatives finish the first round and begin the second round. The committee could change that so that the official opposition would also start the second round, so that the alternation is respected. I still need to reword my amendment, but that is what I am suggesting.
So, the suggestion would be quite simple: we were reverse everything. Where it says "government party", it would become "the official opposition", and where it reads "official opposition", it would become "the conservatives". Can I dare suggest that the liberals would be the last to speak? If it's defeated, the order could be: NDP, conservatives, NDP, conservatives, NDP, conservatives, and so on.
Conservative
NDP
Robert Aubin NDP Trois-Rivières, QC
The first turn would be: NDP, conservatives, liberals and conservatives. The second round would be: NDP, conservatives, NDP, conservatives, NDP, conservatives, liberals.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Michael Chong
Thank you.
We have an amendment. Would any committee members like to discuss it?
Mr. Gourde, you have the floor.
Conservative
Jacques Gourde Conservative Lotbinière—Chutes-de-la-Chaudière, QC
I am wondering about the fairness for all the committee members. This will just hold up the liberals when we come to the next round.
This way, we would all get a turn and there would be an extra question for the NDP in the first and second rounds. I think Mr. Galipeau's motion would give everyone an opportunity to speak at least once in the first and second round. It's simpler that way.
NDP
Yvon Godin NDP Acadie—Bathurst, NB
Let's be honest. You want the government members to have the opportunity to speak once. Is that what you want?
Most of the time, when you don't have time and you have only a few questions, it's often the same member who asks questions two or three times.
Are you saying that you are going to give each member of your party a chance to speak? Or will it always be the same one or two people asking questions?
Actually, that is the argument you are using, Mr. Gourde. You want each person to have an opportunity to ask a question.
Conservative
Jacques Gourde Conservative Lotbinière—Chutes-de-la-Chaudière, QC
It's true that, historically, I do not have the experience that Mr. Godin has when it comes to the number of sessions attended of the Standing Committee on Official Languages.
But Mr. Godin must admit that, since I have been on this committee as parliamentary secretary, I have always given all the members of my party the opportunity to ask questions. You just need to look at the committee meetings I attended. I was often the last one to speak and sometimes, if not everyone had an opportunity to speak, I would give up my turn. I think everyone will be friendly about this.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Michael Chong
Thank you, Mr. Gourde.
Would any other committee members like to discuss Mr. Aubin's amendment?
Mr. Bélanger, the floor is yours.
Liberal
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Michael Chong
Okay. We are voting on the amendment.
(The amendment is defeated by 6 to 5. [See the Minutes]
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Michael Chong
The amendment is defeated, so we will continue with Mr. Galipeau's motion.
Would any members like to discuss Mr. Galipeau's motion? No.
Liberal