Official Languages Committee on March 23rd, 2022

[Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Liberal, Moncton—Riverview—Dieppe, NB]

Because I don't know.

[Bernard Généreux, Conservative, Montmagny—L'Islet—Kamouraska—Rivière-du-Loup, QC]

Does anyone have the answer?

[Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Liberal, Moncton—Riverview—Dieppe, NB]

We could certainly give you the answer later.

[Bernard Généreux, Conservative, Montmagny—L'Islet—Kamouraska—Rivière-du-Loup, QC]

It would be useful for the committee to obtain this number. It's important.

[Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Liberal, Moncton—Riverview—Dieppe, NB]

We'll be happy to get it for you.

[Bernard Généreux, Conservative, Montmagny—L'Islet—Kamouraska—Rivière-du-Loup, QC]

All right.

In 2019, before the pandemic, Air Canada had sales of $8 billion. Mr. Gourde touched upon the question earlier. It could be fined $25,000.

Do you think it's possible to shake the foundations of Air Canada with penalties like these?

[Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Liberal, Moncton—Riverview—Dieppe, NB]

I heard comments about the testimony given here on Monday. I don't think the Air Canada people were very happy about the additional powers we gave to the Commissioner of Official Languages.

As I mentioned, the power to make orders and the fact that the commissioner could sign compliance agreements are more important than the fines. It can't be downplayed. I want to emphasize it. When we talk about sanctions and fines, it's tangible and it's something the public can understand. But we mustn't forget that the other powers have more teeth.

[Bernard Généreux, Conservative, Montmagny—L'Islet—Kamouraska—Rivière-du-Loup, QC]

Is the government and its new ally, the NDP, planning to make amendments to the bill?

[Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Liberal, Moncton—Riverview—Dieppe, NB]

Once again, I'm eager to see Bill C‑13 make its way through the House of Commons and the Standing Committee on Official Languages.

I should mention in passing that it would be very helpful if the committee could begin a preliminary study. I'm keen to begin drawing up the application regulations because we really want to see the final outcome of this act, which will genuinely change things in the lives of Canadians and Quebeckers.

[Bernard Généreux, Conservative, Montmagny—L'Islet—Kamouraska—Rivière-du-Loup, QC]

Several studies were also conducted on the previous bill.

Earlier, you mentioned powers to make orders. As Mr. Gourde said earlier, the Commissioner of Official Languages could do things like require airports or even companies like Air Transat to give their employees French courses.

Do you think that the companies that will become subject to the act might challenge it in the Supreme Court?

[Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Liberal, Moncton—Riverview—Dieppe, NB]

I'm not a legal expert, and the deputy minister could perhaps answer the question. But anybody can appeal to the court.

[Bernard Généreux, Conservative, Montmagny—L'Islet—Kamouraska—Rivière-du-Loup, QC]

We agree on that. However, the power to make orders means that—

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

I'm sorry to interrupt you, Mr. Généreux. Your speaking time is up.

[Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Liberal, Moncton—Riverview—Dieppe, NB]

We'll see you again in committee, Mr. Généreux.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

Ms. Lattanzio, it's over to you now for five minutes.

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

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Minister, for your testimony and for presenting this excellent bill.

I'm going to ask you a question with regard to the court challenges program, if I may.

We know that program is a valuable tool for the official language minority communities to protect their linguistic rights, whether we're talking about the francophones outside of Quebec or the English-speaking community in Quebec. However, both the Bloc and the Conservatives have called for the program to be eliminated.

Can you tell us why the court challenges program is so important to protecting Canada's linguistic duality?

[Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Liberal, Moncton—Riverview—Dieppe, NB]

Thank you so much for that very, very important question.

The court challenges program is really important to me. It's been very important in our province in Atlantic Canada, in New Brunswick, in order to bring forward matters when they affect our minority rights. As a result, we've been very clear that the court challenges program needs to remain, and that's why we mention it in our legislation. We recognize that many groups need access to these services in order to bring matters before the courts to protect and to promote our rights.

I can only speak for myself as an Acadian in New Brunswick. The court challenges program has been there to help us protect and promote our duality. That is why it's extremely important to make sure that we preserve this program, again, in order to do exactly what it's meant to do.

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

Thank you, Minister.

Like you, I come from a minority linguistic community, the anglophone English-speaking community in Quebec. I read the proposed bill, and I noted that although you say you've included it, I see the word “may”. To me, the word “may” is not obligatory. The court challenges program exists, but why does the bill not make it mandatory if it's so important?

[Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Liberal, Moncton—Riverview—Dieppe, NB]

It is extremely important, and we certainly want to ensure that program is maintained. As I said, it's very important to me, because I know the importance of it and the difference it has made in my province and for groups that I have contact with.

Again, we certainly want to make sure that it underlines the importance of it all, and we'll do all that we can to make sure that is stipulated very clearly.

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

Again, being in Quebec, we have many schools in the province that privilege and recognize that French is very important and that students learn French. We have one of the highest success rates on the Island of Montreal with one particular school board that I'm very familiar with, the EMSB, which graduates students who are practically fluently bilingual at the end of their studies. We do understand and appreciate learning French.

That being said, we have the anglophone community who, with the introduction of this new modernization of the law, seem to feel there are parts to this law that no longer protect them, or at least feel that the new law does not protect them sufficiently.

What is your reaction to that?

[Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Liberal, Moncton—Riverview—Dieppe, NB]

First of all, thank you so much for that question.

I've had the opportunity to meet with different groups across the country and also groups within Quebec, like QCGN. I certainly recognize that anglophones in Quebec perhaps feel a bit squeezed, if you will, but my message to anglophones in Quebec has been that we will not do anything to infringe on their rights. The Official Languages Act is there to protect and to promote and I've made it clear to them.

However, we also have to recognize that French is in decline in this country. It is in decline in Canada and in Quebec. We certainly want to indicate—and I made it very clear to English-speaking Quebeckers—that we will always be there to protect their rights. Again, however, we have to recognize that French is in decline in Quebec and also outside of Quebec.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

You have 25 seconds left, Ms. Lattanzio.

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

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I'm going to try to speak as quickly as you do.

With regard to the powers that are going to be attributed to the commissioner—maybe going back to the question of the power to execute judgments—how strict will that be for the commissioner to be able to implement and execute—

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

Ms. Lattanzio, I need to interrupt you. I'm sorry. Five minutes is quick.

Thank you, Minister, for your generosity, and for agreeing to stay here longer because of the vote that was held.

We are going to suspend the meeting so that the minister can leave us, but the members of her team will remain with us for the next hour.

The meeting is suspended for a few minutes.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

We will now resume our work.

Good afternoon to Ms. Boyer, Ms. Mondou and Ms. Boily, who are members of the minister's team.

We have enough time for a complete round of questions of six minutes each. We'll begin with questions from our first vice-chair, Mr. Joël Godin.

Mr. Godin, you have the floor for the next six minutes.