Official Languages Committee on Feb. 25th, 2021

[Soraya Martinez Ferrada, Liberal, Hochelaga, QC]

Are you saying then that we not only need specific immigration corridors, but that we also need promotional efforts in the places where we wish to recruit immigrants?

[Serge Joyal]

That's it exactly—

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

I have a point of order, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, Emmanuel Dubourg]

You have the floor, Mr. Godin.

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

Excuse me Mr. Chair, but there appears to be a technical problem. I switched on the French channel and can hear interpretation in English at the same time.

[The Chair, Liberal, Emmanuel Dubourg]

Before checking this with the clerk, I'd like to ask Mr. Duguid whether the interpretation towards English is working properly when the conversation is in French.

Terry, do you have any problem with translation?

[Terry Duguid, Liberal, Winnipeg South, MB]

No.

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

For your information, Mr. Chair, after de-activating the function, I can hear what's being said in the language being spoken without any interpretation.

[The Chair, Liberal, Emmanuel Dubourg]

Could you check that please, Madam Clerk?

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

Mr. Chair, I can still hear the interpretation towards English.

[The Clerk]

I've been told that the English interpretation is on the French channel. Is that right?

[The Chair, Liberal, Emmanuel Dubourg]

Yes, that's what Mr. Godin told us.

[The Clerk]

I'll check it out.

[The Chair, Liberal, Emmanuel Dubourg]

The problem has been solved.

Thank you.

Three and a half minutes out of the four minutes of speaking time for Ms. Martinez Ferrada have gone by.

Let's continue the discussion.

Mr. Joyal, it's back to you again.

[Serge Joyal]

As I was mentioning before, the government needs to adopt a comprehensive approach. You heard about it in the discussions with the previous witnesses. The comprehensive approach was mentioned here and there in the act, but there was never any formal recognition. Nor does the act provide any accountability on how the government assumes this responsibility. That, very precisely, is the aspect which in my view you need to focus on technical difficulties.

[The Chair, Liberal, Emmanuel Dubourg]

Thank you.

We have just two minutes to continue the discussion.

Mr. Beaulieu, you have the floor.

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

I'll be brief.

Ms. Jennings, you said just now that you wanted to hop on the bus, but did not want to be sent to the back. I hope that's not a reference to the kind of racism that occurs in the United States.

Quebec francophones are often blamed for their determination to secure the future of French. In my view, it's the francophones who are now seated in the back of the bus, and French that is in decline. I just wanted to check that with you.

Do you consider that francophones are entitled to secure the future of French in Quebec and Canada?

Are francophones in Quebec entitled to make French the common language?

[Marlene Jennings]

Mr. Beaulieu, I can't make it any clearer than I already have. You heard what the QCGN's position was. The organization is an ally for our fellow brothers and sisters outside Quebec, for our fellow citizens who live elsewhere in Canada, in terms of promoting and protecting not only the French language, but also the vitality of their communities.

What we're asking is for people here in Quebec to stop making us the scapegoat every time there's a problem. Senator Joyal has given excellent advice on how to strengthen the vitality of our francophones everywhere in Canada, including Quebec, whether in terms of immigration, policy formulation, social media, or cultural content. Stop making the anglophone minority in Quebec a scapegoat—

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

Do you consider our wanting to make French the common language amounts to scapegoating anglophones?

[Marlene Jennings]

Mr. Beaulieu, we already said—

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

That's just more intimidation and blame.

[The Chair, Liberal, Emmanuel Dubourg]

Excuse me, but it's getting difficult for the interpreters.

You have 10 seconds left.

[Marlene Jennings]

As we said before, we are the most bilingual group, and that's thanks to the education system we control and administer.

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

Far less than francophones outside Quebec.

[The Chair, Liberal, Emmanuel Dubourg]

Thank you very much.

For the final intervention, I'm going to give the floor to Mr. Boulerice.

Mr. Boulerice, you have two minutes.