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Evidence of meeting #24 for Official Languages in the 43rd Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was funding.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Evidence of meeting #24 for Official Languages in the 43rd Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was funding.
A recording is available from Parliament.
4:30 p.m.
Conservative
4:30 p.m.
Liberal
4:30 p.m.
Conservative
4:30 p.m.
Conservative
Joël Godin Conservative Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC
Mr. Chair, I'm not done. I didn't ask a question.
4:30 p.m.
Liberal
Mélanie Joly Liberal Ahuntsic-Cartierville, QC
I'm listening, Mr. Godin. I look forward to your question.
4:30 p.m.
Conservative
Joël Godin Conservative Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Madam Minister, here's what I want to know: what concrete steps can you present to us today?
The white paper, in my opinion, is just more smoke and mirrors to make us believe that you are going to act later, as my colleague said earlier. There is nothing concrete today.
What is the Liberal government's record on official languages over the past six years?
4:30 p.m.
Liberal
Mélanie Joly Liberal Ahuntsic-Cartierville, QC
First of all, dear colleague, just because the Conservative Party thinks we are going too far with our Official Languages Act reform document does not necessarily mean that we are doing nothing. I look forward to hearing the Conservative Party's position on the reform document, because I think it is a major change in the country's language policy. A white paper like this is something that is rarely done. I think it's a step in the right direction, and I hope the Conservative Party will endorse it for the future of the French fact in this country.
Secondly, when I was assigned this file, there was a lot of work to be done, because there had been a lot of budget cuts in the area of language rights in the country and there was a crisis. The organizations were underfunded and there were problems in general, particularly with the Court Challenges Program, which had been abolished. So I wanted to fix the mess quickly.
Then we introduced an action plan for official languages that provided $500 million in additional funding to support official languages in this country.
So we addressed crises generated by Conservative budget cuts, and the French-language university of Ontario is the best example. However, beyond that...
4:30 p.m.
Liberal
Mélanie Joly Liberal Ahuntsic-Cartierville, QC
We were able to find solutions, and in the end, the francophonie was strengthened. So I hope that I will be able to work with my colleague, whom I like very much and who is a very good member, and with the other members of the committee, to defend language rights, as francophones and francophiles, particularly those of francophones in this country.
4:30 p.m.
Conservative
Joël Godin Conservative Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC
Madam Minister, I want to assure you that you can count on my support, but I look forward to your action.
For our part, we are ready to act. We have not been around for the last six years, but I can still talk to you about that time. I would like you to accelerate the process to really protect official languages and, especially, the French fact in Quebec and throughout Canada, because it is important. You can count on me.
4:30 p.m.
Conservative
Joël Godin Conservative Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC
Madam Minister, since the beginning you have been mentioning Conservative MPs, parties and governments, but it should be made clear that you have a responsibility as a federal minister and that you must respect provincial jurisdictions.
We in the Conservative Party make that an obligation. As far as you are concerned, you tend to shovel responsibility into the backyard of the provinces.
As a federal minister and head of a body that is responsible for achieving results, are you prepared to say today at this committee that you will move quickly to ensure that you provide the necessary tools—not a white paper—and that you will do so through concrete action rather than offloading responsibility? When will you take action and bear witness to your actions?
4:35 p.m.
Liberal
Mélanie Joly Liberal Ahuntsic-Cartierville, QC
May I conclude that the Conservative Party will support me when I introduce my bill?
4:35 p.m.
Conservative
Joël Godin Conservative Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC
Madam Minister, as I said, in the interest of all Canadians and all francophones, I will work with you, but as far as the bill is concerned, I have not seen anything yet.
