Evidence of meeting #2 for Official Languages in the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was topics.
A recording is available from Parliament.
3:45 p.m.
Liberal
Greg Fergus Liberal Hull—Aylmer, QC
Mr. Chair, I think the name contains the words Community Network.
3:45 p.m.
Liberal
3:45 p.m.
Liberal
3:45 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Denis Paradis
We could hear from them.
You also talked about inviting the Commissioner of Official Languages, Graham Fraser. Were you thinking of next Monday?
3:45 p.m.
Liberal
Darrell Samson Liberal Sackville—Preston—Chezzetcook, NS
The representatives of the association that brings together Quebec anglophones could appear afterwards.
3:45 p.m.
Liberal
3:45 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Denis Paradis
So we need to get in touch with those individuals. We could hear from them on Monday.
Will that make it possible for us to go over the entire issue?
3:45 p.m.
Liberal
Paul Lefebvre Liberal Sudbury, ON
Mr. Chair, we may then realize that we want to meet with other stakeholders and discuss with them. Otherwise, that would be the end, and we could then come back and debate all this, establish our priorities and begin the committee's work.
3:45 p.m.
NDP
François Choquette NDP Drummond, QC
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I totally agree that this will give us an overview of the situation. However, and the same is probably true for several of you, I have already begun to meet with several groups and stakeholders in order to get a good grasp of the priorities. For that reason, I am tabling the following motion. You have the text before you; it is the first motion in the document. It reads as follows:
That the Standing Committee on Official Languages invite Treasury Board President Scott Brison to appear before a televised meeting of the committee, no later than March 23, to clarify the government's intentions regarding the Translation Bureau and the introduction of an automated translation tool on the workstations of all public servants.
As you know, Mr. Chair, there have been staff cuts of approximately 50 % over the last 10 years, and others are being announced for the coming years. Like Mauril Bélanger, I am concerned by the mandate and future of the Translation Bureau. I am worried too about our capacity to maintain a quality, effective and professional Translation Bureau. And may I add that it has an international reputation at this time. That is why I am tabling this motion. However, I am quite open to the amendments some members, such as Mr. Fergus, would like to make.
3:50 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Denis Paradis
Thank you, François.
I think you are both heading in the same direction.
I am going to give the floor to Greg Fergus.
3:50 p.m.
Liberal
Greg Fergus Liberal Hull—Aylmer, QC
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, François.
Today I represent Mauril Bélanger, who was unable to attend the meeting.
As you will already have read, Mauril submitted a draft motion. If I may amend it slightly, we could consider not only the translation tool, but also the Translation Bureau staff. We could do that in a more in-depth study. There could be three or five meetings on this, for instance. In that way, rather than focusing on one person, we could gain a better understanding of the situation as a whole.
With your permission, Mr. Chair, I'm going to move a slightly different version of the motion:
That the committee invite Ms. Donna Achimov, Chief Executive Officer of the Translation Bureau, to appear as part of a study on the mandate and the delivery of services of this public institution;
That three (3) to five (5) meetings of the committee be devoted to that study, and that it also consider the new automated translation tool;
That the date for the start of that study be selected by the committee on a subsequent date, at a time deemed appropriate.
3:50 p.m.
Liberal
Darrell Samson Liberal Sackville—Preston—Chezzetcook, NS
Mr. Chair, had a motion not already been submitted?
3:50 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Denis Paradis
Let's clarify this a bit.
Mr. Samson already submitted a motion on Wednesday's and Monday's meetings.
3:50 p.m.
Liberal
Darrell Samson Liberal Sackville—Preston—Chezzetcook, NS
Yes. However, we did not vote on that motion. We should do that first, if possible.
3:50 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Denis Paradis
Fine.
We are going to vote on Mr. Samson's motion, regarding our next two meetings.
Is everyone in agreement?
3:50 p.m.
Some hon. members
Agreed.
3:50 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Denis Paradis
We are now going to deal with Mr. Choquette and Mr. Fergus' combined motion.
Mr. Choquette, you have the floor.
3:50 p.m.
NDP
3:50 p.m.
Liberal
3:50 p.m.
NDP