Official Languages Committee on Feb. 16th, 2017

[Geoffrey Chambers]

It's impossible not to conclude legally that it's discrimination.

Actually, in Quebec,

it's contrary to the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights, article 26.3. It's against the Canadian Constitution. It's against the Quebec charter of rights. It's an exception because the French language was regarded as being in danger in the 1970s. I don't think that point of view was wrong; I'm not challenging that. However, it is an exception to the civil rights of those people in order to protect the French language in Quebec, which is a goal que nous partageons.

However, it does not change the fact that in familial circumstances, people sitting around the dining room table would like to do what the big documents of our civil society say you should be allowed to do, but, no, you're not allowed to.

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

That's good.

Let me turn to something else quickly. You know that Mr. Samson is our expert in the world of education. He has been extremely involved in the world of minority education. If you have complaints, if you want the government to put in place very specific things or if you have very specific requests for Statistics Canada—although you have had a good relationship with the agency—I invite you to go by Mr. Samson's office because he is

the biggest advocate for this issue.

That might be interesting. We must give credit where it is due. In his case, he really is the expert in education in minority settings.

Thank you for being here today. It has been very enlightening.

I would like to know whether you think the Standing Committee on Official Languages can do something other than welcoming you and perhaps welcoming you again in the future if you have specific difficulties with Statistics Canada. We know that Statistics Canada will conduct studies and analyses in the coming months and years to formulate questions to be asked in 2021. Mr. Corbeil told us that even at Statistics Canada, he has to fight to be able to add new questions to the census. We can put pressure on Statistics Canada in order to ensure that we see very specific questions in the census. I invite you to make use of us, because we are here for you.

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

We'll be there, that's for sure.

[The Vice-Chair, Conservative, John Nater]

I want to thank our witnesses for joining us today. It has been a good discussion. We really appreciate it.

If there's nothing else for the committee, the meeting is adjourned.