Official Languages Committee on Nov. 19th, 2020

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

I am suggesting five meetings. Depending on the clerk' s availability, let's take advantage of the meetings remaining before the end of December 2020 to come up with the names of witnesses we need to hear from.

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

I have a point of order.

We are not supposed to be discussing the schedule, but that is what Mr. Arsenault is now doing.

[The Chair, Liberal, Emmanuel Dubourg]

What we are doing is commenting on Ms. Lattanzio's motion and the five meetings. That is what we are discussing.

In concluding, Mr. Arsenault, my understanding of what you are saying is that you agree with the five meetings specified in the motion.

I still have Ms. Lattanzio and Ms. Ashton on my list.

You're next, Ms. Lattanzio.

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

Mr. Chair, I would like to clarify things.

I initially proposed five meetings because you had told us at the outset when we began today's meeting that there were six. One is usually required to wrap up the report. That's why I suggested five meetings.

I would like to return to the comments made by my colleague, Mr. Arseneault.

I don't believe that it's an amendment because we will be holding the same number of meetings. I would like clarification on this point so that we can vote as soon as possible.

Also, am I to understand that the list of witnesses needs to be submitted tomorrow, on Friday, so that we can begin to hear the witnesses on Tuesday? I would like that to be clarified. After that, I will let the committee members ponder it all.

[The Chair, Liberal, Emmanuel Dubourg]

Okay.

To clarify everything once more, the committee sets the schedule of meetings. What we are doing now is debating the amendment to your motion.

You have the floor now, Ms. Ashton.

[Niki Ashton, NDP, Churchill—Keewatinook Aski, MB]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I want to be brief, because we've already lost a lot of time.

I am disappointed that we strayed so far from what was supposed to be the substance of today's subcommittee meeting.I know that it was not an official meeting of the subcommittee, but we ought not to be falling behind in our work.

Our colleague Mr. Duguid spoke about the current crisis we are experiencing. The Canadian Forces came to my riding yesterday to help us with this crisis. Let's not waste our time. Everyone can demand respect, but respect would mean not wasting our time by failing to stick to the subject at hand in today's subcommittee meeting, even though it was an informal one.

Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Emmanuel Dubourg]

Thank you, Ms. Ashton.

Ms. Lalonde has added her name to the list.

Go ahead.

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

With all due respect, Ms. Ashton, I'd like a clarification.

You'll recall that, at the last meeting, the informal subcommittee held a discussion, a collaborative meeting, so to speak. Unfortunately, if I remember correctly, one committee member decided to disrupt our conversations in order to move his motion again. Perhaps the discussion was somewhat unfriendly. I tried to adjourn his motion, which you and all the Conservative members rejected. I remember this very well, Ms. Ashton.

I'd like a clarification today. I'm prepared to vote on Ms. Lattanzio's motion. I'm happy to do this, so that the committee can finally get something done.

[The Chair, Liberal, Emmanuel Dubourg]

At this time, we'll proceed to a vote on the motion.

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

Could you read the amendment? I'm lost. I'm told that the motion referred to five meetings.

Could you read Ms. Lattanzio's original motion and the amendment, please?

[The Chair, Liberal, Emmanuel Dubourg]

Okay.

I'll read the motion first. Ms. Lattanzio, you can then read the amendment that you moved.

The motion that we adopted states as follows:

That, pursuant to Standing Order 108(2), the committee undertake a study of the COVID-19 pandemic's impact on the government’s ability to deliver information in both official languages;

That the committee also consider how other jurisdictions dealt with the challenges of delivering information to linguistic minority groups, and the impacts on minority language communities;

That the committee examine what policies and measures were put in place to help these communities during the pandemic;

That the committee report its findings to the House; and that pursuant to Standing Order 109, the committee request a government response to its report.

Ms. Lattanzio, could you read the amendment that you moved regarding the five meetings, please?

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

I don't have anything in writing. I'll do it verbally. I just want to add: That the committee hold at least five meetings to hear from witnesses and carry out the above-mentioned study, and that the list of witnesses be sent to the clerk tomorrow, November 19, before 5 p.m.

[The Chair, Liberal, Emmanuel Dubourg]

We'll vote on this motion.

Madam Clerk, let's proceed to the vote.

First, to make things easier, are there any objections to this motion?

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

Sorry, Mr. Chair. Tomorrow is November 20, so before November 20, at 5 p.m.

[The Chair, Liberal, Emmanuel Dubourg]

Yes. Thank you for the clarification.

First, my fellow colleagues—

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

So this means that the motion concerns the schedule.

Sorry. I have a point of order.

If we say before November 20, meaning tomorrow, does this mean that the motion concerns the schedule?

[The Chair, Liberal, Emmanuel Dubourg]

That's a good question and comment, Mr. Beaulieu.

Give me a moment. I'll check with the clerk to really make sure that this amendment is appropriate, because we had a debate earlier. A number of people spoke.

Like you, Mr. Beaulieu, I understand that there was no mention of a date, whether that date is November 20 or any other date. So I understand what you're saying.

Instead of speaking with the clerk, I'd like to ask Ms. Lattanzio to clarify the motion as she presented it at the start of the meeting.

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

I want to add that we have at least five meetings to carry out the study in this motion and that we'll begin the study next Tuesday. This clarifies my point. I'd rather the list be submitted tomorrow. For the sake of clarity, I'd say that the work will begin next Tuesday, November 24.

[The Chair, Liberal, Emmanuel Dubourg]

The committee members may speak. I gather that we spoke about five meetings and the need to send the list to the clerk as quickly as possible. The clerk confirmed that, if the list were submitted tomorrow, we would be able to start next Tuesday, according to the schedule, if the committee members wish to do so.

This is what I want to put to a vote right now. Does everyone understand?

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

Mr. Chair, you want to put to a vote the five meetings, which could start next Tuesday, if we subsequently vote to that effect. Is that right?

[The Chair, Liberal, Emmanuel Dubourg]

Yes. That's what it means. We're talking about five meetings and the need to send out the list of witnesses as quickly as possible, by tomorrow.

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

Mr. Chair, I have a point of order.

I think that the motion is very easy to understand. I'll repeat, for the benefit of my dear colleague Mr. Beaulieu, that we all agree that we've done nothing since October 13, or since Ms. Lattanzio moved a motion, and that we should start working. I think that I spoke very clearly earlier. We want to start working, and Mr. Beaulieu also seems to want to start working.

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

I have a point of order.

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

Mr. Blaney, you'll let me finish my point of order.

[The Chair, Liberal, Emmanuel Dubourg]

Sorry, Ms. Lalonde, but Mr. Blaney has a point of order.

Mr. Blaney, the floor is yours.