Mr. Chair, I would like to comment on the Liberal government's attitude and approach to tabling this motion, which is basically a gag order.
We are being muzzled, yet we are working together. This has been demonstrated in the past. The Bloc Québécois, the NDP and the Conservative Party have worked together to achieve a common goal: Improve the bill to protect French in Canada, stop its decline, promote it and to encourage people to use French more and to advance this language, which is one of the two founding languages of our country.
Mr. Chair, I would like to remind the Prime Minister that Canada is a bilingual country. I would like to clarify what the word “bilingual” means in Canada. It refers to English and French. As long as I am a member of the House of Commons, I will fight to protect French. I find the situation unacceptable.
I would add the following, Mr. Chair. I am addressing you, as an Acadian, along with our Acadian, Franco-Ontarian and Quebec colleagues who are part of this government. How can you take this sort of action, not protect the French language and speed up the process of passing the bill?
How is it possible that December 1 will be the deadline for tabling amendments and, if we don't have time to review all the amendments and all the clauses, you, as the chair, will order that the amendments and other clauses not addressed be voted on without further debate?
That is unacceptable, Mr. Chair. I find this attitude shameful. We have demonstrated our intention to co‑operate. In my opinion, this attitude is that of people who protect their political interests before those of bilingualism in Canada and before the protection of French in Canada.
Mr. Chair, I am disappointed in this attitude, and I hope you will listen to reason. This is a law that, I believe, is historic. If we want French to survive here in Canada, we must take the time to do our job. A witness, an engineer, said it this morning: We should be busy interviewing witnesses. Now, you have decided to put an end to this questioning and to move this motion. That witness is helping us do our job better. That witness has said that we need to take the time required. It's like building a bridge. If we hurry the work along, the bridge may fall apart. The French language may be in decline and die in Canada. I will always fight to defend French.
Furthermore, with respect to Mr. Serré's motion, I find it unacceptable to do indirectly what they did not want to do directly with the motions that were tabled in committee.
Mr. Chair, let me explain. You are playing politics by agreeing with the ministers who will testify at the end of this questioning. You are playing into their hands. Let me explain what I'm reading into this—