Official Languages Committee on June 6th, 2016

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

At the last meeting, we produced a report on immigration. The last meeting was held on May 26, 2015. It would be good to know what's in the report, so that the committee does not duplicate the work. What do you think?

[The Chair, Liberal, Denis Paradis]

We will ask the clerk to distribute the report to us.

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

Absolutely.

[Paul Lefebvre, Liberal, Sudbury, ON]

Mr. Choquette, were you not there?

[François Choquette, NDP, Drummond, QC]

No.

[The Chair, Liberal, Denis Paradis]

Mr. Vandal, the floor is yours.

[Dan Vandal, Liberal, Saint Boniface—Saint Vital, MB]

I think this report was already distributed somewhere. It was probably here.

[The Chair, Liberal, Denis Paradis]

Yes, but the clerk will distribute it again.

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

That way, we will make sure that we are not duplicating the work.

[Dan Vandal, Liberal, Saint Boniface—Saint Vital, MB]

Very well.

[Paul Lefebvre, Liberal, Sudbury, ON]

Mr. Chair, I would like to say something.

[The Chair, Liberal, Denis Paradis]

Go ahead.

[Paul Lefebvre, Liberal, Sudbury, ON]

June 15 was your deadline for submitting names of witnesses, but if we want everyone to have the names earlier and discuss them, perhaps the deadline should be June 14. Then, we could see whether any names are missing and discuss it on June 15.

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

The list would be more up to date.

[Paul Lefebvre, Liberal, Sudbury, ON]

Mr. Généreux suggested that we be more efficient. If we suggest names on June 14, everyone will have seen the list of witnesses before the meeting on June 15, and the meeting will be more productive. Do you agree?

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

Yes, I agree.

[Paul Lefebvre, Liberal, Sudbury, ON]

So, we'll have until June 14 to submit names.

[The Chair, Liberal, Denis Paradis]

Is that okay?

Mr. Samson, go ahead.

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

Could the budget for the witnesses be approved before we break for the summer? That way, as soon as we return, the process would be under way and we could get right to work.

[The Chair, Liberal, Denis Paradis]

We first need the list of witnesses. If a witness comes from Hawkesbury, it's not that bad. However, if a witness comes from Nova Scotia, it will cost more.

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

The list will be established at the meeting on June 13. For the moment, there's nothing specific on the agenda for the meeting. We should thus be able to go over the list together, identify our priorities, and prepare the budget.

[The Chair, Liberal, Denis Paradis]

That's when we'll vote on the budget.

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

That way, we could submit the budget for approval before we break for the summer.

[The Chair, Liberal, Denis Paradis]

No, we're the ones who approve it.

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

That makes things even easier. We could start the study when we return, on Monday.