Official Languages Committee on Feb. 25th, 2020

[Emmanuella Lambropoulos, Liberal, Saint-Laurent, QC]

Today is strictly for committee business. Next week and the week after the March break, we have witnesses coming in from Stats Canada. Would it not be wise to discuss today which study we're going to do after the March break when we have witnesses here and committee business is not scheduled?

[The Chair, Liberal, Emmanuel Dubourg]

Right.

[Emmanuella Lambropoulos, Liberal, Saint-Laurent, QC]

It won't be reserved for committee business. It will be reserved for witness testimony.

[The Chair, Liberal, Emmanuel Dubourg]

Exactly.

[Emmanuella Lambropoulos, Liberal, Saint-Laurent, QC]

Since we have two hours today to discuss committee business, would it not be wise to discuss the two studies on the table and line them up now?

[The Chair, Liberal, Emmanuel Dubourg]

Yes.

[Emmanuella Lambropoulos, Liberal, Saint-Laurent, QC]

Okay.

[The Chair, Liberal, Emmanuel Dubourg]

Go ahead, Mr. Beaulieu.

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

I think that this matter will require a great deal of debate, because we've only just arrived. By immediately establishing a timetable for all business between now and June, we're moving fairly quickly. We can discuss this, but I would have wanted to move other motions. Since I'm not yet used to the process, I didn't do so immediately.

[The Chair, Liberal, Emmanuel Dubourg]

Yes, I understand.

Go ahead, Mr. Angus.

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

Thank you.

Can I just move my motion? We could decide, and then we could move on.

[The Chair, Liberal, Emmanuel Dubourg]

No.

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

I'm not really sure what we're doing.

[The Chair, Liberal, Emmanuel Dubourg]

We're going to finish with the first motion, and after that we're going to—

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

I want to step back, because I know I'm very slow.

I thought we had an agreement on the motion. Then I think you said that it would be Thursday we would be bringing our names of witnesses. I thought it was today. I gave you my witness list.

I don't if we are going to discuss the witnesses today? Are we just giving the names to you? I don't know what else we need to do with today's motion that we agreed to.

[The Chair, Liberal, Emmanuel Dubourg]

We have the first report of the subcommittee. By reading this, you're going to understand exactly what we are doing.

We need to adopt the report of the subcommittee, which met this morning. That's the committee business. I am going to read the report, a copy of which you have received:

Your subcommittee met on Tuesday, February 25, 2020, to consider the business of the committee and agreed to make the following recommendations: 1. That Statistics Canada be invited to appear before the committee on Thursday, February 27, 2020; 2. That the committee invite additional witnesses to appear on Tuesday, March 10, 2020 and Thursday, March 12, 2020; 3. That members of the committee forward their list of suggested witnesses to the clerk of the committee by noon on Friday, February 28, 2020.

In terms of the first item, a two-hour meeting will be devoted solely to Statistics Canada. We have Mr. Arseneault's motion on that.

Then, Mr. Angus, the suggested witnesses are for the March 10 and 12 meetings. So, as Mr. Beaulieu said, in this meeting, we are not setting the schedule for the entire period. That's the subcommittee's job.

Before we proceed with adopting the report, are there any comments on that?

Yes, Mr. Godin?

[Joël Godin, Conservative, Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC]

I'm trying to understand something.

In point 2, what connects all the witnesses? It is recommended that witnesses be invited on March 10 and 12. What is the topic bringing all the witnesses together?

We could submit lists of witnesses, we could flood you with names, but we need a framework.

[The Chair, Liberal, Emmanuel Dubourg]

Just for clarification, we have decided to undertake a study on rights holders in this committee. So we are starting with Statistics Canada. The witnesses mentioned in point 2 are going to come and talk about their perspective on the enumeration of rights holders.

[Joël Godin, Conservative, Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC]

I understand, but it wasn't on the record.

[The Chair, Liberal, Emmanuel Dubourg]

Okay. It's a clarification. That's what we're here for.

Are there any other comments? Are we ready to adopt the first report of the subcommittee?

Mr. Angus, you have the floor.

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

I move to accept the subcommittee's report—

[The Chair, Liberal, Emmanuel Dubourg]

Right.

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

—because I have a lot of problems with how long it is.

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

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

I accept it. That's how I vote.