Official Languages Committee on April 18th, 2016

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

That means that all mayors that have a project pertaining to the official languages—

[The Chair, Liberal, Denis Paradis]

No.

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

Please understand, I myself am from Quebec City. If you invite Mr. Labeaume once, you might have to invite him often after that.

[The Chair, Liberal, Denis Paradis]

Instead of having the steering committee prepare an agenda, we are trying to come up with one together. I would like to wrap up the study of the Translation Bureau by mid-May and come to an agreement about writing the report. That is my objective.

After that, discussions on the Roadmap may not start right away. We could address subjects that we find worthwhile for the remainder of May and in early June. As of mid-May, there will be about four weeks' of activities. Is it worth starting the study of the Roadmap before the House adjourns for the summer? I don't know. I am asking you to think about it.

Mr. Choquette, I give you the floor.

[François Choquette, NDP, Drummond, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I would like to add something very pertinent to what Mr. Lefebvre just said about the remaining motions to be debated. For example, there is Mr. Vandal's motion, and there will probably be others.

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

I, too, will have another one.

[François Choquette, NDP, Drummond, QC]

Mrs. Boucher will also be moving a motion.

Groups usually ask to appear before the committee. They are all important and we would like to invite them eventually.

Before we do so, we should perhaps reflect, as we have been for the past few weeks and even months, on what will be our priority for the month of June. We could all agree to do a short focused study.

We could definitely meet with the group from the Yukon when we study the Roadmap. It will also be extremely important to meet many others.

However, we should perhaps not accept requests to appear before we decide what direction we would like to take. That is how I see it.

[The Chair, Liberal, Denis Paradis]

I don't have a problem with what you are saying. I think that the representatives of the Association franco-yukonnaise will definitely be returning to Ottawa. We do not have to have them appear during the week of June 1. We can tell them that there are other priorities on the agenda. I don't have a problem with that.

You may be right to say that when we start meeting with representatives of francophone minority communities outside Quebec, we have to have a comprehensive plan for the Francophonie across the country.

[Paul Lefebvre, Liberal, Sudbury, ON]

Mr. Chair, I would like to say something.

Perhaps we could discuss Mr. Choquette's and Mrs. Boucher's motions on Wednesday.

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

Since I won't be at the meeting on Wednesday, I will table it so that we can study it when I am present.

[Paul Lefebvre, Liberal, Sudbury, ON]

All right. I believe that Mr. Vandal will also be absent.

We could all discuss this at the same time. Perhaps that is when we could also discuss these issues and the work that we will be doing until the end of June.

Mr. Chair—

[The Chair, Liberal, Denis Paradis]

I am being reminded that Minister Joly will appear before us on Wednesday, and that the meeting will be televised.

[Paul Lefebvre, Liberal, Sudbury, ON]

Okay.

Will the meeting with the Minister last one hour?

[The Chair, Liberal, Denis Paradis]

The meeting with the Minister will last one hour. In the second hour, we will meet with the departmental officials.

[Paul Lefebvre, Liberal, Sudbury, ON]

All right.

Mr. Choquette, do you still want five minutes to move your motion?

[François Choquette, NDP, Drummond, QC]

Yes, five minutes.

[The Chair, Liberal, Denis Paradis]

All right.

We have tentative dates for report writing. I mentioned that it would take place on May 9 and 11. On May 4, Treasury Board representatives will appear before the committee. We will see if we have enough time between May 4 and May 9 and 11.

Mr. Généreux, you have the floor.

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

Mr. Chair, with respect to the tabling of the report, will we be doing the analysis here as a group? Is that how it works?

[The Chair, Liberal, Denis Paradis]

Yes.

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

Will we also discuss the report's recommendations?

[The Chair, Liberal, Denis Paradis]

Yes, exactly. The report will be drafted.

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

A first draft has been tabled.

[The Chair, Liberal, Denis Paradis]

I believe that Ms. Forget has already given us a plan and that you have received it.

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

In fact, we have received some things.

[The Chair, Liberal, Denis Paradis]

I invite you to start thinking right away about any comments you may have about this plan. We are going to spend two meetings writing a solid report on this subject. It is really important to do so. Then we will have to table the report before the end of parliamentary business, that is before the summer recess.

Is that acceptable?