Official Languages Committee on Feb. 20th, 2020

[The Chair, Liberal, Emmanuel Dubourg]

Yes, there's a consensus.

I just want to draw the committee's attention to the fact that, to move our work forward, the clerk needs the complete motion so that Statistics Canada can be invited to appear on Thursday next week.

[Michael Chong, Conservative, Wellington—Halton Hills, ON]

However, can't we adjourn the debate on the motion now and continue the debate at the next meeting?

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

It would be postponed until next week.

[The Chair, Liberal, Emmanuel Dubourg]

Yes. If our analyst sends us the information on Monday or Tuesday, we'll have time to consider it. We'll be able to present all this right at the outset.

[Michael Chong, Conservative, Wellington—Halton Hills, ON]

I think that Mr. Angus wants to propose amendments next week.

[The Chair, Liberal, Emmanuel Dubourg]

Okay, thank you.

Mr. Généreux, you have the floor.

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

I want to share with everyone what we've experienced over the past four years. Mr. Arseneault was talking earlier about the unanimity in all the reports. I think that all our reports over the past four years have been unanimous.

The committee has worked in a way that shows great respect for all parliamentarians here. As a result, mutual trust has been built. We must never lose sight of our objective, which is to advance the rights of francophones in minority communities and anglophones in Quebec. That's the ultimate goal.

In the past four years, there has been little or no partisanship in the committee. Of course, this doesn't mean that there hasn't been some partisanship.

We also noticed that we were wasting a great deal of time. When we want to invite witnesses, it takes ages to ensure that they'll appear. When we postpone these types of motions, inevitably the time frame is longer.

It's already the end of February, and we'll finish at the end of June. There will be a three or four week break before then. Quite frankly, if we want to make any progress, we should make a decision today. We can walk and chew gum at the same time. We can get this resolution passed because it's quite open ended as a result of the last point added.

If we pass this resolution today, we could all do our jobs by starting to invite the witnesses from Statistics Canada. We can't have them join us next Tuesday, of course. This doesn't in any way prevent Mr. Angus or Mr. Beaulieu from making additional points during the witnesses' presentations and from asking them questions.

However, we'll try to keep that perspective, since we're inviting them to appear for this purpose. In any case, given the duration of the meetings with them and the presence of the witnesses, we truly don't have time to indulge ourselves for very long. We have enough material to cover the duration of the presentations.

I just want to bring you up to date on what we've experienced over the past four years. We could pass this resolution today so that the work can move forward. On Tuesday, based on the information from our analyst, we could begin to discuss the issue, develop our thoughts on the matter and prepare our questions for potential witnesses.

Otherwise, all this will be postponed until mid-March or sometime around then. We're already way behind in the process, if you ask me.

[The Chair, Liberal, Emmanuel Dubourg]

Thank you.

Mr. Angus, you have the floor.

[Charlie Angus, NDP, Timmins—James Bay, ON]

Thank you.

I'm just trying to be clear here. I've been on many committees, and I'm not really sure what's going on, and it's not just because I speak English.

I've asked about whether we'll have witnesses. If we're agreeing that we're going to have some witnesses, I'm perfectly supportive of this motion. I am not supportive of saying, “Well, we were unanimous in the past, so we'll be unanimous now.”

We have a role to play here, which is to be the voices of people out there. This is not about filibustering. I'm willing.... I can pass this motion now and say I totally support it, but, to me, the role of committee is to give the people of Canada an opportunity to be heard on fundamental issues. We don't just meet with the functionaries and then go home.

I'm just trying to get a sense.... Do I have to have it in the motion? Do I have to amend the motion, or can we just go with this motion and say that next meeting we'll talk, pick some witnesses and move on?

I don't know how the committee works. My other committees.... I need to have a sense. Do we want an amendment, or are we going to vote for this and just say we'll come back and meet?

[The Chair, Liberal, Emmanuel Dubourg]

Ms. Lattanzio, you have the floor.

[Patricia Lattanzio, Liberal, Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel, QC]

For the benefit of explaining, we made an amendment here today. We said that in number four we would add any other questions that would be pertinent to what is being proposed. “Any other questions” would certainly cover your preoccupations in terms of having other witnesses.

This is where I want to have my assurance, too. I don't think the committee wants to work in a venue where we want to limit the number of people who can come to clarify things to this committee, in terms of getting the information we want, as long as we stay within the scope of the motion. We just added the amendment—and I think we're all fundamentally okay with it—to say “and all other questions that are relative to it”. It doesn't bar you or any other member here.... We're not saying, “Look, we just want to have StatsCan, and that's it. We're going to go home. That's how we're going to make our decision.”

I don't know if that brings clarity to you, but that's my understanding of it.

[The Chair, Liberal, Emmanuel Dubourg]

Mr. Chong, do you have a point of order? Go ahead.

[Michael Chong, Conservative, Wellington—Halton Hills, ON]

What's in front of the committee right now? Are we on the amendment, or are we on the main motion?

[The Chair, Liberal, Emmanuel Dubourg]

I gather that we're wondering whether we're moving or postponing the amendment. Mr. Angus seems to be saying that, if, however, an open-ended question were ready, we could move the fourth point, the amendment. If the committee agrees, we'll pass the amendment and then the motion.

[Michael Chong, Conservative, Wellington—Halton Hills, ON]

Maybe a solution for it is to dispose of the amendment first, and then, if Mr. Angus is so inclined and wishes to present another amendment on adding other witnesses to it, we could then debate that, dispose of that, and then return to the main motion, as amended or not amended. We can deal with it that way.

[The Chair, Liberal, Emmanuel Dubourg]

Yes. We will proceed.

Mr. Angus.

[Charlie Angus, NDP, Timmins—James Bay, ON]

To me, “all other questions” is not as clear as just saying “and potential witnesses”. Then we sit down and we decide if we need witnesses. I'm new. I didn't go through what happened last time. Just “and potential witnesses”.... We can talk about it for months or two meetings, whatever. All I want is clarity, because “other questions”, to me, could be other things. Just put “and potential witnesses”.

[The Chair, Liberal, Emmanuel Dubourg]

Mr. Beaulieu, you have the floor.

[Mario Beaulieu, Bloc, La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC]

I gather that there could be additional witnesses if committee members make that suggestion. That's what Mr. Angus wants.

I agree that the enumeration of rights holders must be included. I consider this important. However, since Statistics Canada representatives would be coming to meet with us fairly quickly, would there be a way to ask questions regarding other aspects of the language that I find troublesome in Statistics Canada's analysis grid?

[The Chair, Liberal, Emmanuel Dubourg]

Mr. Généreux, you have the floor.

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

Mr. Beaulieu's questions will be answered. He can ask as many as he wants. However, as soon as he asks questions about the analysis grid, it will inevitably affect rights holders.

[Mario Beaulieu, Bloc, La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC]

It won't affect rights holders.

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

Yes.

They'll answer all your questions. It's not an issue.

[Mario Beaulieu, Bloc, La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC]

It was a matter of information.

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

I move the amendment.