Evidence of meeting #4 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 chair.
A recording is available from Parliament.
5:30 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Emmanuel Dubourg
No, we need unanimous consent.
Thank you for your comment.
Mrs. Lalonde, you still have the floor.
5:30 p.m.
Liberal
Marie-France Lalonde Liberal Orléans, ON
I will continue:
[...] the Standing Committee on Finance, the Standing Committee on Official Languages and the Standing Committee on Government Operations—
5:30 p.m.
Conservative
5:30 p.m.
Liberal
5:30 p.m.
Conservative
Steven Blaney Conservative Bellechasse—Les Etchemins—Lévis, QC
I am sorry to interrupt you, Mrs. Lalonde.
Mr. Chair, you are talking about unanimous consent. I wonder if the committee members would give unanimous consent to temporarily adjourning debate on the motion currently on the floor so that you can present the informal subcommittee report. On a point of order, may I seek unanimous consent to adjourn debate on the motion currently on the floor until you have presented your subcommittee report, and then come back to the motion?
5:30 p.m.
Liberal
René Arseneault Liberal Madawaska—Restigouche, NB
I know that my colleague Mr. Blaney is referring to an informal subcommittee meeting. It is important to point that out. I was naive enough to go down a path I would not have gone down had I known it would lead nowhere.
Ms. Ashton, Mr. Blaney, Mr. Beaulieu and I sat together on a subcommittee. What is happening today should not happen without the unanimous consent of adults and elected members. If I understand what Mr. Blaney means, the committee would immediately adjourn debate to come back to what it wanted to do, but did not do.
Mr. Blaney, maybe we should talk later, but if we require unanimous consent, please know that I will oppose it. I am letting you know right now. We had the opportunity in subcommittee to do things right, and look each other in the eye, on Zoom, of course. I don't understand what is going on. I'm quite disappointed, but I would like to continue. I'm interested in hearing Mrs. Lalonde's motion.
5:35 p.m.
Liberal
5:35 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Emmanuel Dubourg
I will respond to the last two statements, but first, I need to suspend to discuss them with the clerk.
5:40 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Emmanuel Dubourg
We are back.
So, first, we have nothing to report to the committee about the informal discussion that took place.
Second, I propose the following: if we have the committee's unanimous consent to set this discussion aside, we could continue trying to set the agenda. I see hands going up to say otherwise. I would also like to advise you that, although the meeting started about 50 minutes late, the staff here with us have other commitments. We have no choice but to end the meeting at 5:45 p.m.
Mrs. Lalonde, were you finished?
5:40 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Emmanuel Dubourg
On the list we have Mr. Blaney, Mr. Arseneault, Ms. Lattanzio and Ms. Lambropoulos.
You may continue, Mrs. Lalonde.
5:40 p.m.
Liberal
Marie-France Lalonde Liberal Orléans, ON
Thank you very much.
I will continue, because I still have to read point 12 of my colleague Mr. Beaulieu's motion, which reads as follows:
12. That the Prime Minister, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, the Minister of Diversity and Inclusion and Youth, be among the witnesses ordered to appear from time to time as the committee sees fit.
We can all agree that we have already done this. Colleagues, if you were here this past summer, you know that the Prime Minister and the Minister of Diversity and Inclusion and Youth appeared before the committee. The Prime Minister even assured us that he would talk about the situation with respect to WE Charity.
I would just like to—
5:40 p.m.
Bloc
Mario Beaulieu Bloc La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC
You said that, if we had unanimous consent, we could adjourn this debate and come back to it at the next meeting. We voted in favour of the Commissioner appearing at the next meeting. I have no objection to coming back to the motion about WE Charity at the next meeting.
5:40 p.m.
Bloc
Mario Beaulieu Bloc La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC
It may be sorted out by then. Right now, the Liberals do not want it.
5:40 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Emmanuel Dubourg
Pardon me, Mrs. Lalonde, I will respond to Mr. Beaulieu.
I did indeed say that if we had unanimous consent to proceed with discussion on the calendar, your motion would be on notice and could be put forward at any time. It does not necessarily mean that it will be at the next meeting, but your motion would be on notice.
Mrs. Lalonde, you have the floor.
5:40 p.m.
Liberal
Marie-France Lalonde Liberal Orléans, ON
Thank you very much.
I completely understand what my colleagues are saying. I feel bad for the others who wanted to speak. At the next meeting, we will pick up this lovely debate on Mr. Beaulieu's motion, which seems to be very important to him. I would like to specify that this point of order is not about how long Mr. Beaulieu's motion is.
I would like to speak about the Commissioner. For several years, the Commissioner has been committed to supporting the official languages, our two beautiful languages, French outside Quebec and English in Quebec. I want to talk about the Commissioner's role, and what is in his report, which is really incredible—
5:45 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Emmanuel Dubourg
Mrs. Lalonde, I must interrupt you. It is 5:45 p.m.
I want to tell committee members that the Commissioner will be here next Friday for two hours to talk about his report and about the estimates.
In the meantime, if the House of Commons has not decided on a date for the subcommittees to meet, our next meeting will be about committee business again.
Thank you for your hard work. A very good evening to you all.