Official Languages Committee on Sept. 27th, 2022

[Jean-Michel Beaudry]

I believe its impact was truly important. In 2020, under the federal-provincial agreement, half of the 600 spaces available in child care centres were awarded to francophone children.

Beyond consultation, I think that governments must take action. They acknowledge that the impact on minority language communities of not having access to day care services in the language of their choice was asymmetrical.

From one standpoint, the impact has been immediate. The idea is to continue efforts to improve the situation. The adoption of the revised bill will be very important. Someone mentioned that the Official Languages Act was only revised every 40 years. I hope that we won't have to wait another 50 years before the next major revision and that we will be able to improve the bill more quickly.

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

It's encouraging and it's clear. Thank you very much for the tireless work that you and the community have been doing on behalf of us all.

I'd also like to ask Ms. Montreuil about the same subject.

In your brief, you are in favour of supporting the continua for French-language education in Canada from early childhood through post-secondary studies. Do you think that the government should negotiate language provisions to protect services in French in the agreements it signs with the provinces, such as the agreements on day care centres?

[Sophie Montreuil]

I must admit that I'm unable to comment on the issue of language provisions. As for education, I know that it's very difficult for the federal government to interfere in provincial powers. That's how the system is designed. It has to be respected and other ways of working together have to be found.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

Thank you, Ms. Montreuil.

I would like to thank our witnesses today. For those attending for the first time, I would remind them that the speaking time allocated to each question was determined ahead of time by mutual agreement. So if I appeared to be someone with an iron fist in a velvet glove, I would remind you that I did no more than apply the established rules.

Thank you, witnesses, for your testimony. If you believe you have additional information that you did not have time to submit to us because of the short amount of time allowed for questions and answers, you can send them it writing to our clerk, who will forward it to us.

Before adjourning the meeting, I would like to remind members that there won't be a meeting on Thursday, and that next Tuesday, the last half-hour will be spent on committee work to establish a list of witnesses based on political party representation and to vote on a motion concerning the information that was requested from us.

The meeting is adjourned.