Evidence of meeting #8 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 languages.

A recording is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Linda Cardinal  Titular Professor, School of Political Studies, University of Ottawa
Jean Delisle  Professor Emeritus, As an Individual
Sylviane Lanthier  Chair, Fédération des communautés francophones et acadienne du Canada
Maryse Benhoff  Vice-President, Language Industry Association
Suzanne Bossé  Executive Director, Fédération des communautés francophones et acadienne du Canada
Chloé Forget  Committee Researcher

5:30 p.m.

Liberal

Dan Vandal Liberal Saint Boniface—Saint Vital, MB

In my opinion, we could begin the process before summer, continue in the fall and produce a report before Christmas. As to the number of meetings we need to do that work, could you give us a realistic figure? We could consult each other on that.

5:30 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Denis Paradis

Simply as an indication, we had planned to hold five meetings on the Translation Bureau.

Perhaps we could also opt for five meetings on the roadmap?

5:30 p.m.

Liberal

Paul Lefebvre Liberal Sudbury, ON

Mr. Chair, I think we need much more than that. I think my colleague's idea is that we will produce a report, submit it to Canadian Heritage, and so on.

5:30 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Denis Paradis

According to what I understood, there would also be some travel.

5:30 p.m.

Liberal

Paul Lefebvre Liberal Sudbury, ON

You mean that there would be more trips?

5:30 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Denis Paradis

We talked about a travel budget for the committee.

According to what I understand from the motion, there would be some travel involved.

5:30 p.m.

Liberal

Paul Lefebvre Liberal Sudbury, ON

Mr. Chair, in fact, there would be more than five meetings, in addition to the travel.

I agree with my colleague. I think we have a certain amount of leeway here. If we finish what we have to do earlier, we can move on to something else. In addition, if an urgent matter crops up, we can interrupt this study.

5:30 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Denis Paradis

Thank you, Mr. Lefebvre.

Ms. Boucher, you have the floor.

5:30 p.m.

Conservative

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

I am not at all against the motion, but I am not the kind of person who likes to do the same thing 28 times over, either. We prepare endless reports, but no one reads them. Could we begin by reading them and then discussing them?

A report was published on the 2008-2013 period. Could we obtain it and read it? Then we could come back here to discuss it, rather than holding meeting after meeting. If we want to review certain points on which we disagree, we can do it then.

However, to get back to what Mr. Lefebvre was saying, since the roadmap is an extremely important matter, we should spend more than five meetings on it.

5:30 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Denis Paradis

According to what I understand, everyone is in agreement to adopt the motion and consult the 2012 report. So we are going to ask the clerk to send it to us. You will have time to acquaint yourself with it quickly. Then we will start this next study, which is the topic of Mr. Vandal's motion.

Does that suit everyone?

5:30 p.m.

Liberal

Paul Lefebvre Liberal Sudbury, ON

Regarding that study, we are going to have to determine what our starting point will be.

5:30 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Denis Paradis

That is correct.

Are we all in agreement on this matter?

(Motion agreed to)

5:30 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Denis Paradis

We are going to consider the dates of the meetings and trips together.

Ladies and gentlemen, thank you very much. See you next week.

The meeting is adjourned.