Official Languages Committee on Sept. 22nd, 2016

[René Arseneault, Liberal, Madawaska—Restigouche, NB]

Pardon me for getting lost here. I am going to go back to Mr. Choquette's comment and reconcile what I heard from Mr. Généreux and Mr. Samson.

I am setting aside the amended motion that Mr. Généreux introduced this morning. I am talking about the original motion. I want to make sure we are actually talking about the original motion.

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

Yes.

[René Arseneault, Liberal, Madawaska—Restigouche, NB]

This motion refers to “immediate action.”

[Paul Lefebvre, Liberal, Sudbury, ON]

It also refers to recommendations.

[René Arseneault, Liberal, Madawaska—Restigouche, NB]

Is that correct, Mr. Samson?

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

Yes.

[René Arseneault, Liberal, Madawaska—Restigouche, NB]

Let us set aside the amended motion that Mr. Généreux has suggested to us this morning.

Mr. Samson, the original motion begins with “Whereas Air Canada has been subject…for close to 50 years.” That sentence will remain as is.

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

Yes.

[René Arseneault, Liberal, Madawaska—Restigouche, NB]

You would replace the following paragraph, which begins with “The committee recommends to the Government,” with the second paragraph, which begins with “Whereas” in your motion. Is that correct?

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

Yes.

[René Arseneault, Liberal, Madawaska—Restigouche, NB]

Then we would have “The committee recommends:” and then points a), b), c), and d), which follow.

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

That is not necessary. We can delete or leave that. Personally, I would put in the last paragraph from my motion, the one beginning with “BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Standing Committee on Official Languages continues to study,” to replace the four points, a), b), c), and d). However, if he wants to keep them, that is fine with me.

[René Arseneault, Liberal, Madawaska—Restigouche, NB]

We should know that.

[The Chair, Liberal, Denis Paradis]

Mr. Samson, we will hear from Mr. Choquette while you are thinking about that.

[François Choquette, NDP, Drummond, QC]

Thank you.

I am thinking about the analysts, who will have to finalize this motion. We have to understand it in order to move forward.

I entirely agree on Mr. Samson's amendment, which proposes that the committee continue the study. However, the words “at a date to be scheduled later” are troubling because that could be any time. Perhaps we could set a deadline, which would be better.

I want to emphasize something else. Mr. Généreux's motion recommends, without requiring, that the government analyze the commissioner's recommendations. It is extremely important to clarify that. The committee can demand nothing from government, but it is proposing that the commissioner's recommendations be analyzed. Those recommendations refer to feasibility and things of that kind—the exact terms escape me. We are recommending that to the government. Its response to us may be that there is not enough time to do so, but that will be its decision.

Our committee could do that. We will continue this analysis until the government reaches a decision on the matter. Perhaps we could set a deadline. I do not know whether that is possible, Mr. Samson. I do not know whether you have a date to propose. I leave that in your hands.

In this way, we would have your part of the motion as an amendment and would continue the study at a later date. We could set a deadline and recommend that the government analyze the recommendations. We would have the two statements contained in the motion. I do not know what Mr. Généreux thinks of that, but that is how I see the amendment.

[The Chair, Liberal, Denis Paradis]

Mr. Généreux, you have the floor.

[Bernard Généreux, Conservative, Montmagny—L'Islet—Kamouraska—Rivière-du-Loup, QC]

Mr. Samson, what you are saying is essentially that the second paragraph, beginning with “WHEREAS” in your motion, and then the one beginning with “BE IT RESOLVED THAT” could be put at the end of my motion, replacing the last paragraph of my new motion from this morning. That would solve the problem.

That is similar to what Mr. Choquette said. We have to retain the four solutions from my motion. Personally, I would definitely not delete them from my motion. We have to verify feasibility; that is what my new motion states.

I agree with you that we must continue to study the commissioner's report at a later date. However, let us get this straight: that date will not be in 2020. That has to be very clear.

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

We must not simply move on to the new one without dealing with the old one. However, I agree with what you just said.

[The Chair, Liberal, Denis Paradis]

Mr. Lefebvre, you have the floor.

[Paul Lefebvre, Liberal, Sudbury, ON]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

This is somewhat in the same vein. I agree. I think we are on the right track, Mr. Généreux.

I have only one concern. Your motion states: “The committee recommends that the Government of Canada evaluate…” However, before doing that, it must first analyze the recommendations of the Commissioner of Official Languages. I suggest that the committee analyze the four solutions proposed in the commissioner's special report.

The last paragraph of Mr. Samson's motion could be inserted in your motion as a conclusion, as you suggested.

[Bernard Généreux, Conservative, Montmagny—L'Islet—Kamouraska—Rivière-du-Loup, QC]

Are you proposing that the committee analyze that?

[Paul Lefebvre, Liberal, Sudbury, ON]

Yes. We cannot make recommendations immediately without first conducting an analysis.

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

We will probably have to hear from the Air Canada representatives again.

[Paul Lefebvre, Liberal, Sudbury, ON]

And from other people.

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

We are going to do our homework and then submit our recommendations.