Official Languages Committee on Sept. 22nd, 2011

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

Mr. Chairman, I know we're not going to be voting soon, because one member of the government side has left, and there would be a tie. That would be putting you in a very difficult situation. The answer to my question--and I don't know if anybody has it....

By the way, Mr. Lauzon said just now that some members were speaking mostly French. I would just point out to him that I myself have used both languages almost every time I have spoken—as the transcript will show.

Could our clerk or our analyst tell me whether the Standing Committee on Official Languages passed a similar motion during the 40 ^th Parliament, perhaps in April or May 2010? The motion was subsequently tabled and passed by Parliament in May 2010. I seem to remember that it was passed unanimously.

May I ask the clerk or the analyst if I am right in thinking that it was passed unanimously? I would also like to know who was at that meeting.

[The Chair, Conservative, Michael Chong]

The motion…

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

No, I am looking for information. It should be easy to find. We just have to look at the minutes.

Mr. Lauzon is here now, so we can vote.

It is a serious question, Mr. Chair. I could find the answer, but since we have people here to help us, I will turn to them. I would like to know who was in attendance in 2010, when this committee passed a motion very similar to this one, unanimously, I think. That will help me to see whether some people have changed their minds.

[The Chair, Conservative, Michael Chong]

Would the clerk please provide the answer to all members of the committee?

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

Can he give it to us now?

[The Chair, Conservative, Michael Chong]

No, not now.

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

Anyway, the decision this morning will clearly be negative. But when we have that information, we could be looking at an interesting contrast.

[The Chair, Conservative, Michael Chong]

So you want to know if a similar motion was introduced at the committee in 2010 and whether or not it was adopted and, if so, whether it was unanimously.

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

It was adopted, because we reported it to the House. My question is whether it was unanimous.

[The Chair, Conservative, Michael Chong]

You want to know whether it was adopted unanimously.

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

I seem to recall that it was. Who was present at the time?

[The Chair, Conservative, Michael Chong]

Okay. I've just asked the clerk. The clerk doesn't know. I don't know either.

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

It's an interesting tidbit of history that might reveal certain things.

[The Chair, Conservative, Michael Chong]

The clerk will send all of you an e-mail with the answer in due course.

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

Thank you. I'd like a nominal vote on this if we're going to be voting.

[The Chair, Conservative, Michael Chong]

Okay. Is there any further debate?

Mr. Godin.

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

It is important to point out, by the way, that the government party said that it is not up to this committee to dictate the department's program. But this is an invitation to introduce a bill. As Mr. Bélanger said, the same invitation was extended in the previous Parliament, unanimously, in fact. I just want that noted for the record.

Mr. Trottier also said that, because the Commissioner of Official Languages has tabled a report on Air Canada, we should wait to see what would be done with it. This is not a question of waiting to see whether Air Canada says that it is complying with this, that or the other. It is a question of passing new legislation so that Air Canada has a law to abide by. That is something that the Commissioner of Official Languages cannot ask for. Even if Air Canada says that it has decided to comply, it could do the opposite in two years.

The act protects both languages. We are here to enact legislation, not to ask people to please get together to make things work.

[The Chair, Conservative, Michael Chong]

Thank you.

Mr. Aubin, the floor is yours.

[Robert Aubin, NDP, Trois-Rivières, QC]

I was just wondering if, in the present wording of the motion, the problem was the invitation or the end of 2011. if we could clarify that, we could put together a motion that would be acceptable for everyone.

[The Chair, Conservative, Michael Chong]

Are you making an amendment?

[Robert Aubin, NDP, Trois-Rivières, QC]

No, I was asking a question and hoping to get an answer.

[Dan Harris, NDP, Scarborough Southwest, ON]

He is asking if the problem is with one or other of the terms.

It's just the whole thing.

[The Chair, Conservative, Michael Chong]

I don't see any other members willing to make an intervention. Unless there's further debate, I will call the question.

Monsieur Bélanger has requested a recorded vote, so I'm going to pass the floor to the clerk.

(Motion negatived [See Minutes of Proceedings])

[The Chair, Conservative, Michael Chong]

Now we have two things to do.

First, we passed a routine motion about the subcommittee. The motion says that the subcommittee is made up of the chair, the two vice-chairs, the parliamentary secretary and a member from the government party.

I need you to tell me which government members are going to sit on the subcommittee. Do we have any volunteers?

[A voice]

Yes.