Official Languages Committee on Nov. 5th, 2020

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

Speak in French and I will tell you whether I can hear the interpretation.

[The Chair, Liberal, Emmanuel Dubourg]

Let us start the meeting again. As I was saying, this is now the fourth meeting of the Standing Committee on Official Languages. We also have one replacement.

The clerk and I will do our best to make sure that everyone can speak. Those participating by videoconference must click on “participant” and those in the room must signal the clerk.

Last week, we talked about inviting the Commissioner of Official Languages during the break week, on Friday, November 13. The committee wanted to meet with the commissioner at 2 p.m. But the time available in the House of Commons is from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The commissioner has agreed to meet with us at 11 a.m. So you will be receiving a notice for a meeting on November 13, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Let me remind you that Mr. Blaney's motion to invite the commissioner was carried. The motion simply mentioned the commissioner's most recent annual report. We have a two-hour meeting with him and we know that the estimates have to be passed before November 27. Mr. Blaney has introduced a motion to that effect too.

I'd like to ask Mr. Blaney if he wants to introduce that motion first, so that the commissioner can be prepared to speak about the estimates for one hour and then about the annual report for the other hour.

If the members of the committee are in agreement, I would ask Mr. Blaney to introduce that motion so that we can discuss it.

[Steven Blaney, Conservative, Bellechasse—Les Etchemins—Lévis, QC]

Mr. Chair, I agree to move that we invite the Commissioner of Official Languages on November 13, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., in two separate blocks, to discuss the estimates and his report.

[The Chair, Liberal, Emmanuel Dubourg]

Thank you very much, Mr. Blaney.

Mr. Beaulieu now has the floor.

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

I just want to mention that our subcommittee has met. We did not talk about the WE Charity proposal because it's more specifically a negotiation between the parties. As that is still not settled, my position is that we must continue to work on that proposal.

[The Chair, Liberal, Emmanuel Dubourg]

Fine, but we have a meeting with the commissioner next week and Mr. Blaney has just introduced his motion. I know that Mr. Beaulieu was speaking at the last meeting, but I would ask the committee to decide on Mr. Blaney's motion, so that, next week, the commissioner will be speaking about his report for an hour and the estimates for an hour.

Do any committee members disagree with that proposal? Raise your hand if that is the case.

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

Will we continue to study my motion afterwards?

[The Chair, Liberal, Emmanuel Dubourg]

Exactly. You will have the floor next.

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

Okay.

[The Chair, Liberal, Emmanuel Dubourg]

Madam Clerk, are any members in the room opposed to my proposal?

[The Clerk]

I see no opposition.

[The Chair, Liberal, Emmanuel Dubourg]

Then we will vote on Mr. Blaney's motion.

It reads as follows:

That the committee invite the Commissioner of Official Languages to appear as part of the study on the 2020-2021 Main Estimates by November 27, 2020.

Madam Clerk, the other motion has already been agreed to. Do we have to combine both motions so that the commissioner can deal with two subjects in the same meeting, or will passing this motion be enough?

[The Clerk]

Passing this motion will be enough.

[The Chair, Liberal, Emmanuel Dubourg]

So let us vote on Mr. Blaney's motion.

(Motion agreed to)

[The Chair, Liberal, Emmanuel Dubourg]

Mr. Blaney's motion has been agreed to and therefore, the clerk can officially invite the commissioner to come and deal with those two subjects. Committee members will receive a notice of the meeting for next Friday, November 13, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

I would just like to tell committee members in passing that there was no official meeting of the subcommittee. We had an informal meeting between ourselves. So there is no report to submit to the committee.

I have three people on the list. First, Mr. Beaulieu, then Ms. Lattanzio and Mr. Blaney.

Mr. Beaulieu, the floor is yours.

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

I have introduced this motion a number of times already.

Essentially, it says that the committee recommends that the House create a special committee to hold hearings on the commitments of WE Charity and on the fact that it is a an anglophone organization, although it has done some francophone events.

My impression is that all opposition parties want this matter to be studied. All the committees were studying it. Then we had the prorogation and now things are starting up again. I think that all the opposition parties, at least, will be in agreement.

So if people want to save time, I would suggest moving to a vote as quickly as possible.

[The Chair, Liberal, Emmanuel Dubourg]

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu.

Ms. Lattanzio, the floor is yours.

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

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, colleagues.

I confess that I am actually a little disappointed that we are continuing to talk about this motion. It seems to me that we have other motions that are very interesting, not to say important, and that the committee should study them as quickly as possible.

Today, here we are again, somewhat in suspense. As I mentioned the last time we met, we are spending time on a motion that is identical to those that have gone around almost all the standing committees. The only thing different is the preamble, which is tailored for each committee.

It is a great shame, I feel, to see that we want to continue along these lines. Last time, my colleagues clearly indicated that they did not want to pass this motion. In fact, I myself introduced a motion that questioned whether this motion was in order. The Chair made his decision and committee members appealed it. I find that to be a great shame. If the members of the committee intend to act in that way, I must remind them that they have until 5:45 p.m., which does not leave us a lot of time.

It looks to me like we are going to be spending all our time debating this motion. As I said at the beginning of my comments, we have other important motions, germane to the committee's mandate, that we have to deal with.

I must remind my colleagues that the motion has no place in our committee. I can never repeat it enough: this is not part of our committee's mandate.

I also recall that I had asked my colleague to show us which paragraphs in his motion were relevant to our committee's mandate. I never received an answer to that. My colleague has never explained to me how the wording of the motion reflects the committee's mandate. In my opinion, having that information is very important before we deal with the motion.

We met to discuss this motion in August. Let me deal with the situation from a legal standpoint. I actually dug out the signed contract. There is a an English version and a French version. If I may, Mr. Chair, I will find that contract and quote some sections of it. I hope that it will enlighten my colleagues. I repeat that the contract was prepared in English and in French in order to reflect the fact that the service had to be provided in both official languages.

Mr. Chair, give me a moment to find it. I really was not expecting us to be talking about this motion again.

I ask you to indulge me, and give me time to look at this contract again.

[Steven Blaney, Conservative, Bellechasse—Les Etchemins—Lévis, QC]

Mr. Chair, respectfully, I have a point of order.

[The Chair, Liberal, Emmanuel Dubourg]

Go ahead, Mr. Blaney.

[Steven Blaney, Conservative, Bellechasse—Les Etchemins—Lévis, QC]

I understand that we are debating a motion. My point of order deals with procedure.

There was an informal meeting of our committee's subcommittee on agenda and procedure and there was consensus on some points. Let me turn to the members, specifically Mr. Beaulieu, to see whether there might be a way to allow the Chair to report on that informal meeting and to see whether any of the points on which we agreed would also be agreeable to all members. Then we would perhaps be able to debate the motions that seem more contentious, while clearly respecting each member's rights to introduce motions. It might allow the committee to move forward with the issues on which we think there may be points of consensus.

Mr. Chair, with the members' permission, could you inform all members of the suggestions that were made? I go back to what Ms. Lambropoulos in Ottawa—and good afternoon to her—was saying. The committee is sovereign, and the subcommittee, in seeking consensus or

In other words, could we establish the issues on which there is consensus, and then afterwards, spend more time on those that are more contentious?

Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Emmanuel Dubourg]

Okay.

[Marie-France Lalonde, Liberal, Orléans, ON]

I have a point of order.

[The Chair, Liberal, Emmanuel Dubourg]

My apologies, Mr. Vice-Chair. I let you continue but that is not a point of order, as you thought.

I'm sorry, we must move on.

Mrs. Lalonde, did you have a point of order?

[Marie-France Lalonde, Liberal, Orléans, ON]

Yes.

We could perhaps have a motion to adjourn this debate. As a member, I would really like to know what was discussed at that informal meeting, or at least have your view on what was understood there. So I would like to ask us to adjourn the debate, so that you can take the floor, Mr. Chair.