Official Languages Committee on March 21st, 2016

[The Chair, Liberal, Denis Paradis]

Okay.

[François Choquette, NDP, Drummond, QC]

I would agree to removing Charles LeBlanc and Jean Delisle from the list because they are from the University of Ottawa too.

[The Chair, Liberal, Denis Paradis]

Okay.

[François Choquette, NDP, Drummond, QC]

I'm proposing that to the committee so there can be a balance.

We can easily hear from at least three witnesses in two hours, or even four, if need be. The clerk would organize it, invite the witnesses, and make sure they are available. We can't let this study go on forever and prevent us from moving on to other important studies.

I don't know Louise Brunette or Mr. Jandu. I don't know what their connection is to the Translation Bureau. Before we invite them, maybe we should look into what they know about the Translation Bureau. I don't know them at all. Do they have a more general interest in speaking to the Standing Committee on Official Languages? Are they familiar with the guideline and the Translation Bureau?

[The Chair, Liberal, Denis Paradis]

Thank you.

Paul, over to you.

[Paul Lefebvre, Liberal, Sudbury, ON]

I am of somewhat the same mind.

How much time should we allocate to this? If it's a day, does that mean there will be two meetings? That would give us four hours to hear from witnesses.

[François Choquette, NDP, Drummond, QC]

Mr. Lefebvre, may I remind you that we passed a motion to spend three to five committee meetings on this. We already had one committee meeting with Ms. Achimov from the Translation Bureau.

[Paul Lefebvre, Liberal, Sudbury, ON]

I wasn't here that day.

[François Choquette, NDP, Drummond, QC]

That means we have at least two meetings left, but I suggest that we make it three more meetings.

[François Choquette, NDP, Drummond, QC]

Two or three meetings. We have seven witnesses.

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

We'll need at least three meetings to hear from these witnesses.

[François Choquette, NDP, Drummond, QC]

There are seven witnesses: three proposed by Mr. Bélanger and four proposed by me.

[The Chair, Liberal, Denis Paradis]

We could schedule four witnesses per meeting and put two of the witnesses at the bottom of the list.

[François Choquette, NDP, Drummond, QC]

Yes.

[The Chair, Liberal, Denis Paradis]

That would be eight witnesses.

[François Choquette, NDP, Drummond, QC]

Yes.

[The Chair, Liberal, Denis Paradis]

For a total of two meetings. Is that okay with you?

[François Choquette, NDP, Drummond, QC]

It's okay with me.

[The Chair, Liberal, Denis Paradis]

Ms. Lapointe, over to you.

[Paul Lefebvre, Liberal, Sudbury, ON]

It's not me—

[Linda Lapointe, Liberal, Rivière-des-Mille-Îles, QC]

Mr. Lefebvre, the chair gave me the floor. I was cut off earlier, so I'm going to be more assertive this time.

My colleague, Mr. Arseneault, tells me that there isn't anyone from New Brunswick on the list. Can we add names?

Earlier, we agreed to a budget to bring people in. Would it be possible to bring people from that bilingual province? I agree with the witness lists proposed by Mr. Bélanger and Mr. Choquette, but I think we should also get someone from New Brunswick, if possible.

You made an excellent point.

[The Chair, Liberal, Denis Paradis]

Bernard, over to you.

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

Mr. Chairman, please forgive me for not taking the time to propose witnesses.

After we announced that we would be studying this topic, a translator in Quebec launched a petition for the removal of the president of the Translation Bureau. It would be interesting for the committee to hear what that translator has to say.

[The Chair, Liberal, Denis Paradis]

I suggest that we keep to the original plan for two days and four witnesses and add another meeting with four more witnesses.

[Linda Lapointe, Liberal, Rivière-des-Mille-Îles, QC]

Okay. We would have to move—