Official Languages Committee on Sept. 22nd, 2022

[Marie-Nicole Dubois]

Yes, this is part of the three requests from the federation that I presented here.

[Angelo Iacono, Liberal, Alfred-Pellan, QC]

Very well.

In your speech you said you wanted an automatic process. Those are the words you used. Could you explain a little bit more about the mechanisms you favour for this automatic process and why you favour them?

[Marie-Nicole Dubois]

I'm sorry. You are talking to me about an automatic process and I...

[Angelo Iacono, Liberal, Alfred-Pellan, QC]

You were the one who used those words.

[Marie-Nicole Dubois]

All right. I don't know where you took them from, or in what part of my speech I said that.

[Angelo Iacono, Liberal, Alfred-Pellan, QC]

Okay. So I'll follow up with another question.

With respect to the amendments, which would be the most important one?

[Marie-Nicole Dubois]

The three amendments I mentioned are interrelated and are all important. The one on the French-language clauses is vital for us. Without this amendment, I don't know how my grandchildren will be able to speak to me in French. That's where we're at.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

You have 30 minutes left, Mr. Iacono.

[Angelo Iacono, Liberal, Alfred-Pellan, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair. That is all.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

Very well.

Mr. Beaulieu, you have the floor for two minutes.

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

Ms. Dubois, you just spoke about your grandchildren: do they have access to French-language schools?

[Marie-Nicole Dubois]

Yes. Personally, I am lucky enough to live in Victoria. So my children were able to attend a nice French school. In other areas, this is not the case.

Again, it always comes back to a kind of passion. At the moment, if people manage to have and attend French schools, it is because they are convinced and passionate.

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

Was it a public or private school?

[Marie-Nicole Dubois]

My children went to public school.

A few years ago, we won a landmark lawsuit. We're on the way to restoring the situation, or at least we hope to, and having equivalent schools for francophones and anglophones. We're not there yet, but we're working on it.

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

That's good.

We know that in federal institutions, French-language services are offered according to the general principle of where numbers warrant. This means that when the number of francophones decreases, there are fewer services in French.

Don't you think there should be a grandfather clause or that the provision of services should not be determined solely by the number and proportion of francophones? If we want growth, we shouldn't cut French services when there is a decline in the number of francophones.

I don't know if you have any ideas about this.

[Marie-Nicole Dubois]

I don't have a magic recipe, but I fully agree with you. Indeed, French-language services should be offered to those who need and request them.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

Thank you, Ms. Dubois and Mr. Beaulieu.

Ms. Dubois, here is a final question from Ms. Ashton, who has two minutes.

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

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you as well, Ms. Dubois. We are learning a lot from your testimony. Indeed, it teaches us not only that language clauses are necessary, but also that they must be robust and have more content, deadlines and an obligation to produce results.

We can also think of the example of the Homelessness Partnering Strategy. In your opinion, if this strategy included language clauses to protect the services offered to francophones, would organizations be better funded?

[Marie-Nicole Dubois]

I hope so, because if you want to offer services, you have to have funding.

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

Thank you very much for your clarity on this matter.

I would like to ask one last question, which is also a bit of a message.

If the government had been obliged by the Official Languages Act to negotiate service agreements for francophones, you obviously wouldn't have had to fight in court for all these years. I hope that all members of the committee, including government members, will hear you on their importance and not fight against the interests of francophones in Canada.

Do you have a message for those who resist the inclusion of language clauses in Bill C‑13?

[Marie-Nicole Dubois]

In fact, I would like to understand what it takes away from them.

In my opinion, we are richer by having a better francophonie. Our country has two official languages and it seems to me that it would be good to be able to speak both. We can also speak others, but these two languages must be strong and robust.

These clauses do not take anything away from anyone. They only add something to the francophonie, but also to our country and its rich heritage. I am being philosophical, but...

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

Thank you, Ms. Dubois. If there is any other information that the committee could benefit from, please feel free to put it in writing for us. It is as important as your oral testimony. If you feel this additional information is important, please forward it to our clerk, who will distribute it to all committee members.

Before adjourning, I would like to remind committee members that we meet next Tuesday. Next Thursday, the Board of Internal Economy will be using our space, so there will be no meeting of the Standing Committee on Official Languages.

Thanks again, Ms. Dubois.

I also thank all the other witnesses we heard today.

The meeting is adjourned.