Official Languages Committee on June 1st, 2017

[François Choquette, NDP, Drummond, QC]

The Language Skills Act. It came into force two or three years ago and was sponsored by Alexandrine Latendresse, an NDP member at the time.

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

You voted in favour of it.

[François Choquette, NDP, Drummond, QC]

Everyone did.

[The Chair, Liberal, Denis Paradis]

Go ahead, Mr. Samson.

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

What does the motion say? Would you mind repeating it, please?

[The Chair, Liberal, Denis Paradis]

The motion reads as follows:

That the Committee ask Madeleine Meilleur for her language skills qualifications as required by the Language Skills Act.

Go ahead, Mr. Vandal.

[Dan Vandal, Liberal, Saint Boniface—Saint Vital, MB]

Not having read the motion, I have just this to say. Ms. Meilleur spent an hour and a half with the committee last week. Everyone here had an opportunity to ask her questions—

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

No.

[Dan Vandal, Liberal, Saint Boniface—Saint Vital, MB]

—except perhaps Mr. Choquette since Mr. Mulcair used his speaking time.

Mr. Choquette, if you wanted information about Ms. Meilleur's qualifications, you should've asked her for it last week, when she was here.

[The Chair, Liberal, Denis Paradis]

Are there any other comments?

Ms. Boucher, you may go ahead.

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

Sorry, but I don't agree with you.

She sent us her resume. It makes perfect sense to ask her for her qualifications. We are talking about a new act that came into force three years ago. I wasn't in the House then, but everyone voted in favour of the bill.

The act exists and the Commissioner of Official Languages is a high-ranking appointment. We do need to know whether she speaks both official languages, after all.

[The Chair, Liberal, Denis Paradis]

Mr. Arseneault, you have the floor.

Then we'll go to Mr. Samson.

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

I'm not trying to dodge the issue Mr. Choquette is raising, but I believe he needs to give 48 hours' notice.

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

No.

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

I apologize, but I'm not familiar with that act. I'm a bit caught off guard. I can't find it anywhere.

[François Choquette, NDP, Drummond, QC]

We can vote later.

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

According to the act—

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

I'd like to know who decides whether appointees to high-ranking positions are bilingual. That may not be for the committee to decide. It's a matter of proficiency.

Can we deal with it later?

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

I'd like to pick up on what Mr. Généreux was saying a few days ago. Bilingualism is a continuum. Some people are highly proficient in both languages. How do we measure that? We've heard all sorts of presentations.

I was an educator for 30 years. I listened to Ms. Meilleur as she answered questions before the committee. She answered in both of the country's official languages. She was very well-spoken in both languages.

As an educator with 30 years under my belt, I was quite satisfied with her language skills. I'm well-suited to make that determination.

[The Chair, Liberal, Denis Paradis]

Thank you, Mr. Samson.

Over to you, Mr. Vandal.

[Dan Vandal, Liberal, Saint Boniface—Saint Vital, MB]

It's okay, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, Denis Paradis]

Ms. Lapointe, your turn.

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

I move that the debate be adjourned.

[The Chair, Liberal, Denis Paradis]

That means I have to put the motion to a vote immediately.

[François Choquette, NDP, Drummond, QC]

I'd like a recorded division.