Official Languages Committee on Nov. 1st, 2022

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

Point of order, Mr. Chair.

My Bloc Québécois colleague moved that debate be adjourned. I think we need to deal with that first, and then we can see about the rest.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

I'm sorry, I didn't realize he was asking to suspend debate immediately, before the vote on his subamendment.

Is that what you're moving, Mr. Beaulieu?

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

I move that debate be suspended.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

I'm sorry. I thought you wanted to do that after the vote on your first subamendment.

In any case, it's already time for us to adjourn. The meeting is therefore suspended until Thursday. On that day, you can pick up where you left off, Mr. Beaulieu.

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

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

The meeting is suspended.

[The meeting was suspended at 1:01 p.m., Tuesday, November 1]

[The meeting resumed at 11 a.m., Thursday, November 3]

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

Welcome, everyone.

I just want to remind all those attending the meeting virtually or in person that we are resuming Tuesday's meeting, which was suspended, not adjourned. That means today's meeting isn't a new meeting, but rather the continuation of the 38th meeting of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Official Languages. This meeting is taking place in a hybrid format and in public.

Today we are continuing the debate on the motion moved by Mr. Serré. To structure the debate and follow the usual procedure, we're going to start by continuing the discussion on the subamendments moved by Mr. Beaulieu and then vote on them one at a time, as necessary. We will then discuss Mr. Godin's amendments and vote on them. Lastly, we will discuss Mr. Serré's main motion and then vote on it.

If there are no questions about this, we're all set to pick up where we left off, with Mr. Beaulieu. Is everybody on the same page?

Ms. Ashton, you have the floor.

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

Good morning, everybody.

Mr. Chair, I also have an amendment to introduce today.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

No problem, Ms. Ashton.

However, since this is our first time resuming a meeting that we didn't officially adjourn, I just want to make sure there are no questions about procedure. If everyone is on the same page, we can move on immediately to the subamendments that Mr. Beaulieu was about to propose.

Mr. Généreux, the floor is yours.

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

Mr. Chair, we understand the principle and it's all perfectly fine.

Now, if I understand correctly, there could be three amendments, or rather one amendment and two subamendments. We may spend a lot of time discussing them today, so I just want to make sure we get a chance to speak during this meeting, which will be two hours long.

Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

Great.

Let me give some clarification to answer your question, Mr. Généreux. When we suspended on Tuesday, Mr. Beaulieu was about to present his subamendments. We're going to hear from him now.

I also have a list, in chronological order, of the members who asked to speak afterwards. After Mr. Beaulieu, we'll go to you, Mr. Généreux, and then to Mr. Vis, Mr. Dalton and Mr. Gourde. Those are the names that were on my list when we suspended the meeting on Tuesday. Other members can be added to it, but for now, I'm going to follow the list in that order, because this is still the 38th meeting.

I think that's clear for everyone.

Mr. Beaulieu, over to you. You were about to move a subamendment.

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

Yes, I was. I want to come back to Mr. Serré's motion. I agree with the gist of it in general. It calls for no limits on the clause-by-clause study. I agree with that, but I would like us to have time to hear from witnesses, because that's very important.

Ever since the Liberals and the NDP formed an alliance, we've been hit with time allocation motions and closure motions. Since the last election, not including Government Business No. 20, there have been 27 fast-tracked bill stages, five motions adopted using 18 time allocation motions, eight closure motions, 11 time allocation motions, four super closure motions, including two aimed at fast-tracking the committee stage, the report stage and third reading, and two to fast-track the second reading in committee stage, the report stage and third reading.

On October 26, there was a time allocation motion on Bill C‑9, which would amend the—

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

I apologize for interrupting you, Mr. Beaulieu, but you mentioned Mr. Serré, and I think you meant Mr. Godin.

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

Sorry, yes, I did mean Mr. Godin.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

Okay, so you're not opposing Mr. Godin's amendment.

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

I'm going to move subamendments that are along the same lines as his motion, but that will make it better.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

All right, but the procedure could get complicated. That's why I said earlier in my introduction that we're going to have to deal with one subamendment at a time.

On Tuesday, you were in the middle of moving your first subamendment. You can move more than one, but—

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

I actually only have one subamendment to move, but it contains multiple points.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

Okay. Please explain for our benefit.

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

To conclude my earlier remarks, it's important for us to have time to debate. This is an essential debate. When we look at all the closure motions and gag orders that have been adopted—

[Marc Serré, Liberal, Nickel Belt, ON]

I have a point of order, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

Let's hear it, Mr. Serré.

[Marc Serré, Liberal, Nickel Belt, ON]

We've had more than 12 meetings, we've heard from 54 witnesses and we've received 21 briefs.

As you've mentioned twice now, Mr. Chair, Mr. Beaulieu was about to introduce a subamendment. But now we're back to debating my original motion and Mr. Godin's amendments. Does Mr. Beaulieu actually have a subamendment to move? He said yes twice, but then he started giving a history lesson.

I think it's time we got to the amendments, because time is short.

Thank you.

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

I just wanted to finish commenting on Mr. Serré's motion.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

I understand.

Friends, I know we're in the midst of a passionate debate, but let's have some order here. When I recognize a member, that person has the floor, so everyone has to wait until that person is done, unless I need to call them to order, which I don't think will happen.

Mr. Beaulieu, on Tuesday, you were in the middle of moving a subamendment to Mr. Godin's amendments, and you were just telling us there are several parts to it. That was where we left off.