Evidence of meeting #23 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 tests.

A recording is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Clerk of the Committee  Ms. Christine Holke
Lucie Lecomte  Committee Researcher
David Manicom  Acting Assistant Deputy Minister, Strategic and Program Policy, Department of Citizenship and Immigration
Corinne Prince-St-Amand  Director General, Integration and Foreign Credentials Referral Office, Department of Citizenship and Immigration
Stefanie Beck  Assistant Deputy Minister, Corporate Services, Department of Citizenship and Immigration
Donald Cochrane  Senior Director, International Region, Department of Citizenship and Immigration

9 a.m.

Conservative

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

No, not from what I understand.

9 a.m.

Conservative

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

You were not at the meeting, so you cannot talk about it.

9 a.m.

Some hon. members

Oh, oh!

9 a.m.

Liberal

Darrell Samson Liberal Sackville—Preston—Chezzetcook, NS

We did a good job yesterday.

9 a.m.

Conservative

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

We had lists. We were asked to review the lists, but if we had known that these people were coming to testify, we would have arranged for something else.

9 a.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Denis Paradis

It is a practical matter, Mrs. Boucher. It is just so that we do not waste time on Thursday.

9 a.m.

Conservative

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

I agree with that.

9 a.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Denis Paradis

There are two groups. The clerk or someone else has to give people a bit of advance notice.

9 a.m.

Conservative

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

We know that.

9 a.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Denis Paradis

Nothing else was decided in advance, except for Thursday's meeting.

9 a.m.

Conservative

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

That is perfect.

9 a.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Denis Paradis

It is the committee that will decide the priorities, and so on. Something had to be put on the schedule for the Thursday meeting, and that is what was done.

9 a.m.

Conservative

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

That is good.

9 a.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Denis Paradis

I am listening, Mr. Samson.

9 a.m.

Liberal

Darrell Samson Liberal Sackville—Preston—Chezzetcook, NS

Mr. Chair, if it is okay with Mrs. Boucher, it is okay with me too.

I would like to talk a bit about the two witnesses who will be coming to the committee on Thursday. They are from the Fédération nationale des conseils scolaires francophones hors Québec. That is all the French schools in the country.

9 a.m.

Conservative

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

Will that take an hour?

9 a.m.

Liberal

Darrell Samson Liberal Sackville—Preston—Chezzetcook, NS

Yes.

Can you remind me what the second group is, Mr. Chair?

9 a.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Denis Paradis

It is the Réseau de développement économique et d'employabilité Canada.

9 a.m.

Conservative

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

We had put it on the schedule as well.

9 a.m.

Liberal

Darrell Samson Liberal Sackville—Preston—Chezzetcook, NS

All right.

Now, can we agree on the way we are going to proceed?

You know that I am of two minds between immigration, which is essential in minority communities, and what has happened about the roadmap and the possibility of improving it.

I have no answer and I am asking for the committee's opinion. Is it possible to tell the executive director of the Fédération nationale des conseils scolaires francophones to give a ten-minute presentation on immigration, and we will then ask questions for 20 minutes, and then to give a presentation on the roadmap and answer the questions that follow?

Last time, 80% of the time was devoted to the roadmap and 20% to immigration.

Mrs. Shanahan, you will be impressed.

9:05 a.m.

Liberal

Brenda Shanahan Liberal Châteauguay—Lacolle, QC

Oh yes?

9:05 a.m.

Liberal

Darrell Samson Liberal Sackville—Preston—Chezzetcook, NS

Our committee is very efficient. We have matched people who will talk about two things: immigration and the roadmap.

That is a very good idea from my Conservative colleagues. Rather than have people come twice, we will ask them questions about both subjects. But please, let us get organized!

9:05 a.m.

Conservative

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

Exactly!

9:05 a.m.

Liberal

Darrell Samson Liberal Sackville—Preston—Chezzetcook, NS

So there will be a ten-minute presentation on immigration, and then there will be a 20-minute question period.

9:05 a.m.

Conservative

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

I love you!