Official Languages Committee on Oct. 27th, 2022

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

While we wait for the team to send us the duly drafted motion, I'd like to know if there are any other questions.

[Francis Drouin, Liberal, Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON]

I'd like to move a friendly amendment. I welcome my colleagues' efforts, but I would simply add this: "…and that the bill be reported to the House before Christmas."

In that case, we would support the motion.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

Any questions on the amendment?

[Francis Drouin, Liberal, Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON]

The idea would be to report the bill to the House before Christmas.

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

May I speak, Mr. Chair?

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

Mr. Drouin's amendment has just been moved, and Mr. Goldman wishes to speak.

Go ahead, Mr. Godin.

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

I want to go back to the amendment that Mr. Drouin moved concerning the deadline for reporting the bill to the House of Commons.

I've always said we should speed up the process. The Conservative Party is working in cooperative fashion. We've often said we were ready to add meetings. However, that doesn't seem feasible. We're not going to pick up the pace only to botch the job. We're talking about what's going to be a historic bill.

I can't accept the amendment my colleague is moving. Mr. Chair, I would point out that our intention is to begin clause-by-clause consideration of the bill before Christmas. That's our intention, but I'm not managing our time. We adopted a motion providing that the situation will be reassessed after 20 meetings. We're now on our 11th meeting.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

As I understand it, you don't want to move an amendment to the amendment moved by Mr. Drouin but rather to raise an objection.

Does anyone else wish to speak to this?

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

I'm also opposed to the amendment.

We entirely agree that we should speed up the process. I've checked with our whips to see whether it would be possible to hold more meetings. I said we had discussed that in committee. However, our party's whip told me she hadn't received a request regarding this matter. I don't think the process is being delayed by the opposition.

It's important to do things right regarding our debates. I would point out that none of the amendments that the Quebec government has requested have been adopted and none of the main amendments proposed by the Quebec groups defending French have either.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

So I understand why you're opposed to it, Mr. Beaulieu.

Go ahead, Ms. Ashton.

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

I also think the amendment makes no sense. We have to do the clause-by-clause consideration of the bill before reporting it to the House. We have to do that efficiently as soon as possible.

The request to hear from the key ministers is a request made by every committee that has a bill it needs to study. I wonder why the Liberal members don't want to hear from the ministers as soon as possible.

[Francis Drouin, Liberal, Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON]

Mr. Chair, may I speak?

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

Since this is your amendment to Mr. Godin's main motion, I give you the floor, Mr. Drouin.

[Francis Drouin, Liberal, Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON]

I don't want to spend too much time discussing this amendment. I request the committee's unanimous consent to withdraw it. That way, we can quickly vote on Mr. Godin's motion and get back to our agenda.

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

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

You have the Conservative Party's consent to withdraw the amendment, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

All right.

A brief aside, if I may. I just saw that Mr. Iacono's hand is raised.

Do you wish to speak to this matter, Mr. Iacono?

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

I wanted to address the subject of my colleague opposite who mentioned inviting the ministers.

I've attended all our meetings and, to my knowledge, the Liberal members have never said they didn't want to bring in the ministers. She should withdraw her comments, because—

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

I have a point of order, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

Just a moment, please.

Let's get back to where we were in chronological order.

Mr. Drouin requests unanimous consent to withdraw his own amendment.

Does he have the committee's unanimous consent?

Then we will move on to Mr. Godin's point of order.

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

Actually, if the amendment is withdrawn, I can withdraw my point of order, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

All right.

I see no hands raised on the screen, and I believe we have unanimous consent in the room.

Madam Clerk, would you please confirm unanimous consent?

[The Clerk of the Committee, Ms. Michelle Legault]

I confirm unanimous consent, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

The amendment moved by Mr. Drouin to the main motion is withdrawn.

Are we ready to rule on Mr. Cohen's motion?

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

Mr. Chair, there seems to be unanimous consent in the room.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

To speed things up, I will put the question to the members in the meeting room.

Do we have unanimous consent to adopt Mr. Godin's motion?