Official Languages Committee on Nov. 8th, 2018

[Mona Fortier]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Good morning, everyone. I'm very proud to be on this committee, particularly as it begins this study on modernizing the Official Languages Act. I began sitting here this past September, and I have been privileged to live in the community for more than 30 years. I reread the Official Languages Act to refresh my memory and to see how we could improve it.

I really want to thank you for giving us your views today. I think we are more or less on the same wavelength. We really want to modernize the act and to help the communities move forward, but we also want linguistic duality to be considered as an important value in our country.

I want to go back to the census because those are the data that will help us determine who can attend our institutions.

When I sat on Ontario's Provincial Advisory Committee on Francophone Affairs, Minister Meilleur proposed a new inclusive definition for Ontario. That new definition increased the number of francophones in Ontario to 622,340. Some provinces have proposed an inclusive definition, but others, like British Columbia, haven't.

You mentioned that the act should have an inclusive definition, but is that addition the solution we should favour?

The representatives of the Conseil scolaire francophone de la Colombie-Britannique may begin, then Mr. Barry can answer on behalf of the Conseil des écoles fransaskoises.

[Marie-France Lapierre]

Annex B to our brief contains a map that shows where our students are. We have to know where they are. We can't just have a sample. We have to know where all the young people are so we can know where to build our schools and where to focus our efforts.

Last year, we received four requests to open new schools. If figures showed that there were 50 francophones in one place and 500 in another, our decisions would be much easier to make. Today, however, we base our actions on the people who arrive and what's asked of us.

We talked about identity and immigration. When newcomers arrive in British Columbia, they don't know they can choose one language or the other. They assume a lot of things. For example, francophone immigrants who arrive in British Columbia put their children in anglophone schools because they want to make sure they have a space. We have to provide education, but, to educate all those people, we have to know who they are and how to speak to them.

[Mona Fortier]

Thank you very much, Ms. Lapierre.

Mr. Barry, do you want to add something?

[Alpha Barry]

Diversity is no longer a matter of choice in Saskatchewan. We take in so many immigrants that it's become a commitment. The vitality and sustainability of language and culture depend on this wave of immigrants that's arriving in Saskatchewan, and that concerns the schools. It comes with an added value but also with its share of issues.

Yesterday, the minister made a statement about pre-departure services. A wave of excitement would break if we could determine who the new immigrants are and where they're arriving. These statistics help us do a better job of laying the groundwork.

[Mona Fortier]

I see.

[Alpha Barry]

Take me, for example. I come from a French system where everything was in blocks and structured, and then I arrived here and it was a different system.

We have to help newcomers and their children succeed. Success has to be the watchword for everyone.

[Mona Fortier]

Thank you, Mr. Barry.

Mr. Chaisson, you said the Treasury Board should be the organization charged with administering the Official Languages Act. Why should it be the Treasury Board and not the Privy Council?

I'd also like to know what Mr. Théberge thinks about this.

[Ali Chaisson]

From an operational standpoint, I don't really see how the Privy Council could take on that responsibility. It's hard to imagine.

You can assign that responsibility to whatever organization you want, but if you attach no genuine importance to the act and there's no conviction or will to achieve the objectives set, it won't work and you'll simply be going around in circles.

[Mona Fortier]

Mr. Théberge or Ms. Morin, do you have any comments on the application of the act?

[Martin Théberge]

Yes, very briefly.

What's important to us is not so much who will be in charge of it, but that there be strong leadership. The important thing is that the organization charged with this must not be both judge and party. In other words, it must not build partnerships and slap wrists at the same time. The two can't go together. For example, the Department of Canadian Heritage can't promote interdepartmental efforts while slapping the wrists of other departments. Strong leadership is required, and it must be exercised by an independent organization.

[Mona Fortier]

Thank you very much. I needed to hear your views on that.

[The Vice-Chair, Conservative, Alupa Clarke]

Now we will suspend for five minutes, and then it will be Mr. Généreux's turn. Thank you.

[The Vice-Chair, Conservative, Alupa Clarke]

We'll resume the meeting.

Your turn, Mr. Généreux. If I correctly understood, you have agreed with Mrs. Boucher that she will speak during your speaking time.

[Sylvie Boucher, Conservative, Beauport—Côte-de-Beaupré—Île d’Orléans—Charlevoix, QC]

This won't take long. I'm saying publicly that I would like:

That the Committee invite Denise Bombardier to appear before the Committee.

[The Vice-Chair, Conservative, Alupa Clarke]

You've just introduced a motion. We could debate it in 48 hours, unless committee members agree to debate it immediately. Otherwise it's only a notice of motion.

[Sylvie Boucher, Conservative, Beauport—Côte-de-Beaupré—Île d’Orléans—Charlevoix, QC]

That's correct.

[The Vice-Chair, Conservative, Alupa Clarke]

Does it remain a notice of motion, or do you want us to discuss it as a motion right away?

[Darrell Samson, Liberal, Sackville—Preston—Chezzetcook, NS]

I want it to remain a notice of motion.

[The Vice-Chair, Conservative, Alupa Clarke]

As the members aren't unanimous, we can't debate it now.

[Sylvie Boucher, Conservative, Beauport—Côte-de-Beaupré—Île d’Orléans—Charlevoix, QC]

I put the question to all the members of the committee, and everyone agreed to debate it immediately.

[Darrell Samson, Liberal, Sackville—Preston—Chezzetcook, NS]

You didn't ask me the question.

[Sylvie Boucher, Conservative, Beauport—Côte-de-Beaupré—Île d’Orléans—Charlevoix, QC]

You might have left.

[François Choquette, NDP, Drummond, QC]

I have a point of order, Mr. Chair.

[The Vice-Chair, Conservative, Alupa Clarke]

I'm listening, Mr. Choquette.

[François Choquette, NDP, Drummond, QC]

Mr. Chair, I apologize for contradicting you, but, if Mrs. Boucher introduces a motion, we must debate it today, unless we suspend it. Perhaps I've misunderstood the Standing Orders, but that's the case when a motion is introduced.