Official Languages Committee on Oct. 8th, 2024

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

Let's vote on my motion. You've ruled it out of order. Now you're giving me a choice—

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

Before we suspended, you asked if the committee would agree to your withdrawing your motion. Is that still what you want?

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

Yes, if there's unanimous consent.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

Okay.

Is there unanimous consent for Mr. Beaulieu to withdraw his motion?

(Motion withdrawn)

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

It's done.

Mr. Dalton, your comment can no longer apply to Mr. Beaulieu's motion. That's what I wanted to tell you.

Now I have to give the floor to Mr. Godin, who had raised his hand to talk about another motion.

[Joël Godin, Conservative, Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC]

Mr. Chair, I would like to move the following motion that was moved on October 2:

Given that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has failed to appoint a bilingual Governor General and that the latter is still unable to speak French after 3 years in the position, therefore, be it resolved that: a) The committee report to the House the Prime Minister of Canada's failure to respect Canada's official languages by appointing a Governor General that cannot speak French, and has not demonstrated any improvements over the past 3 years; b) Pursuant to Standing Order 108(3)(f), the committee undertake a study of the reasons which led the Prime Minister to appoint the Governor General unable to express herself in one of Canada's two official languages and that, as part of this study, the committee invite to appear: - The Honourable Jean‑Yves Duclos, Quebec Lieutenant; - The Honourable Pablo Rodriguez, former Quebec Lieutenant; Advisory Panel on the Selection of the Next Governor General: - The Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Co-Chair; - Janice Charette, Co-Chair; Privy Council Office: - Donnalyn McClymony, Assistant Secretary to the Cabinet (Senior Personnel and Public Service Renewal); - Donald Booth, Canadian Secretary to the King; Office of the Secretary to the Governor General: - Ken MacKillop, Secretary to the Governor General; that the committee allocate a minimum of 5 meetings to this study; and, that the committee report its findings and recommendations to the House.

Mr. Chair, you'll understand that I won't repeat the list of actions taken by this government over the past nine years that demonstrate its unwillingness to protect the French language in Canada.

Now, I want to address a very important point. My motion in no way attacks the person who currently holds the title of Governor General. As far as I know, there was another person in the appointment process. There seems to be a sensitivity towards indigenous people, and I'm as sensitive to this issue as people who are questioning it. However, in the appointment process, there was a woman who was subsequently appointed to the Senate, probably as compensation. She is indigenous, she speaks French, and she speaks English. Why wasn't she appointed? Why was someone who speaks only one of the two official languages—English—chosen over her?

That's where I'll end my presentation of the motion I'm proposing. I hope that everyone around the table listened carefully to my comment about the sensitivity of the Conservative Party of Canada to indigenous people.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

Thank you, Mr. Godin.

Are there any questions or comments about Mr. Godin's motion?

Go ahead, Mr. Beaulieu.

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

I would like to move an amendment.

In the preamble, after “Given that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has failed to appoint a bilingual Governor General and that the latter is still unable to speak French after 3 years in the position,” I would add this is despite the Official Languages Act, whose purpose is to ensure respect for both official languages, including French, and ensure equality of status and equal rights and privileges as to their use in all federal institutions and advance the existence of a majority-French society in a Quebec where the future of French is assured.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

Please email the text of your amendment to the clerk so we can take time to process it.

I would just point out to the committee that the Governor General is bilingual.

[Joël Godin, Conservative, Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC]

Yes, but she doesn't speak both official languages.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

I was just mentioning that in passing. I didn't move the motion. Maybe the wording could be adjusted.

Mr. Beaulieu, would you please reread your amendment slowly?

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

This is in point a) of my motion, if the clerk wants it. I based my amendment to Mr. Godin's motion on this:

despite the Official Languages Act (OLA), whose purpose is to “ensure respect for English and French as the official languages of Canada and ensure equality of status and equal rights and privileges as to their use in all federal institutions,” according to section 2(a) of the OLA, and to “advance the existence of a majority-French society in a Quebec where the future of French is assured,” according to section 2(b.2) of the OLA;

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

After “3 years in the position” and the comma after that, you would add what you just read. Is that right?

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

Yes.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

After the part about the OLA, it would read, “Therefore, be it resolved that:”

I'll read the preamble to the motion with Mr. Beaulieu's amendment:

Given that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has failed to appoint a bilingual Governor General and that the latter is still unable to speak French after 3 years in the position, despite the Official Languages Act (OLA), whose purpose is to “ensure respect for English and French as the official languages of Canada and ensure equality of status and equal rights and privileges as to their use in all federal institutions,” according to section 2(a) of the OLA, and to “advance the existence of a majority-French society in a Quebec where the future of French is assured,” according to section 2(b.2) of the OLA, Therefore, be it resolved that:

Is that right, Mr. Beaulieu?

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

Yes.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

After “Therefore, be it resolved that”, points a) and b) of Mr. Beaulieu's motion would appear as read to the end.

Are there any questions or comments about Mr. Beaulieu's proposed amendment?

Mr. Dalton, go ahead.

[Marc Dalton, Conservative, Pitt Meadows—Maple Ridge, BC]

I don't have a question or comment.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

If there are no questions or comments, we'll go ahead and vote.

Mr. Samson, go ahead.

[Darrell Samson, Liberal, Sackville—Preston—Chezzetcook, NS]

Are we voting on the amendment?

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

Yes, we're voting on Mr. Beaulieu's amendment.

Ms. Koutrakis, go ahead.

[Annie Koutrakis, Liberal, Vimy, QC]

Can we pause until we get a copy of Mr. Beaulieu's amendment, please?

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

Yes.

We just got the text. We'll insert the amendment and then send it to committee members.

We will pause.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

And we're back. Everyone has Mr. Beaulieu's proposed amendment.

Ms. Koutrakis, you asked for some time.

This is a long motion. Are there any questions or comments? If not, I'm going to ask that we vote on Mr. Beaulieu's amendment.

Mr. Samson, go ahead.

[Darrell Samson, Liberal, Sackville—Preston—Chezzetcook, NS]

We've all consented to add the amendment to Mr. Godin's motion. We have no problem with the amendment.