Evidence of meeting #6 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.
4:20 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Emmanuel Dubourg
I understand your point of order, Ms. Lalonde. However, it will be difficult for the clerk and me to manage the speaking list in that manner since we don't know how long it will take to discuss Ms. Lattanzio's new motion. It would therefore be preferable, colleagues, that you withdraw from the list if you don't want to speak to the new motion.
The list currently contains the names of Ms. Lalonde, Mr. Blaney, Mr. Arseneault and Mr. Beaulieu.
4:20 p.m.
Liberal
Marie-France Lalonde Liberal Orléans, ON
Mr. Chair, Mr. Arseneault tells us we have an audio problem.
4:20 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Emmanuel Dubourg
I can hear it too. We are having technical problems.
Is it really impossible to follow along?
4:20 p.m.
Liberal
Marie-France Lalonde Liberal Orléans, ON
Perhaps Madam Clerk could keep a list of previously scheduled speakers. Then we could lower our hands. We could then follow the same chronological order if any time remains.
4:20 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Emmanuel Dubourg
Ms. Lalonde, as you know, anything can be done with the consent of the members of the committee. Having said that, I have retained those names.
Consequently, I would now like...
4:20 p.m.
Bloc
4:20 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Emmanuel Dubourg
Yes, I understand.
Colleagues, please lower your hands as they appear on the screen. I have taken note of them. You will now sign in to address Ms. Lattanzio's motion on the five meetings.
4:20 p.m.
Liberal
Marie-France Lalonde Liberal Orléans, ON
Mr. Chair, I don't know whether I'm the only one experiencing audio problems. Everyone's nodding and seems to agree with me. I reconnected my headset, but the sound is terrible when you or my colleagues speak.
4:20 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Emmanuel Dubourg
Yes, I'm having the same problem. I hear noises in my earphones, even when you speak.
4:20 p.m.
Liberal
Marie-France Lalonde Liberal Orléans, ON
Could we suspend for a few moments and determine with the technicians whether the problem can be solved? It's really unpleasant.
4:20 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Emmanuel Dubourg
All right.
Colleagues, pardon me once again. We'll do whatever we need to do to come back as soon as possible.
I therefore suspend.
4:30 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Emmanuel Dubourg
We will resume. We apologize for the technical issues.
According to the new list, the speaking order is as follows: Mr. Généreux, Ms. Lalonde, Mr. Beaulieu and Mr. Arseneault. Speeches must address the motion introduced by Ms. Lattanzio, the five meetings and the witnesses to be invited.
Mr. Généreux, you have the floor.
4:30 p.m.
Conservative
Bernard Généreux Conservative Montmagny—L'Islet—Kamouraska—Rivière-du-Loup, QC
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I'm going back to the point I raised earlier because I'm frankly confused. I'm not sure whether the motion has been introduced or not.
Mr. Chair, here's why I requested adjournment. You explained to me that Mr. Beaulieu's motion automatically failed when the last meeting was adjourned. That's what I understood.
I see that Mr. Arseneault is signalling no and Ms. Lalonde yes. You, Mr. Chair, are signalling no.
4:30 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Emmanuel Dubourg
We adjourned the meeting, the one that was held before the meeting with the Commissioner of Official Languages. When a meeting is adjourned, not suspended, we resume consideration of the motions we wish to examine.
4:30 p.m.
Conservative
Bernard Généreux Conservative Montmagny—L'Islet—Kamouraska—Rivière-du-Loup, QC
I see.
May I share my speaking time with Mr. Blaney? Is that possible? It's a good question that you've probably never been asked.
4:35 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Emmanuel Dubourg
There is no determined speaking time. There are other speakers on the list. You could inform us of Mr. Blaney's opinion.
4:35 p.m.
Conservative
Bernard Généreux Conservative Montmagny—L'Islet—Kamouraska—Rivière-du-Loup, QC
I'll withdraw that request and let others speak so I don't needlessly take up time. Mr. Blaney or I will speak again later, if any time remains. It's already 4:30 p.m.
4:35 p.m.
Liberal
4:35 p.m.
Liberal
Marie-France Lalonde Liberal Orléans, ON
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I very much appreciated my colleague Ms. Lattanzio's speech. It's important to hold meetings and to conduct this study before the end of this session. The study she proposes in her motion, which we all supported, should be conducted as soon as possible. She's asking that we hold five meetings to conduct that study.
I move that our witness list be submitted by tomorrow. I know that doesn't leave us a lot of time, but it would let us begin the study and hear witnesses next Tuesday. We could start work on this excellent study.
I know the clerk won't like my request, but I'd like us to submit our witness list for the study Ms. Lattanzio is proposing as soon as possible, before end of day tomorrow. Then we could determine who will testify at our meeting next Tuesday.
4:35 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Emmanuel Dubourg
Thank you, Ms. Lalonde.
We can discuss when the members of the committee must send their witness list, but, in your remarks, you don't propose to amend Ms. Lattanzio's motion, which suggests that we should hold five meetings.
Mr. Beaulieu now has the floor.
4:35 p.m.
Bloc
Mario Beaulieu Bloc La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC
We should vote against this order of priority. Ms. Lattanzio is proposing that we give her motion priority. That's not the direction we took at our informal meeting. I don't understand why she absolutely doesn't want us to study the matter of French in Quebec.
The Commissioner of Official Languages conducted a study on the situation of official languages during the pandemic and came here and made a presentation on the subject. Now it's being moved that we conduct another study on the pandemic. I don't think that's appropriate.
4:35 p.m.
Liberal
4:35 p.m.
Bloc
