Evidence of meeting #38 for Official Languages in the 44th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was point.
A recording is available from Parliament.
12:50 p.m.
Liberal
12:50 p.m.
Liberal
Marc Serré Liberal Nickel Belt, ON
Other members of the Conservative Party can speak. It is not a technical problem in the meeting room, it’s an individual problem. So, I’m of the opinion that we should give the floor to other members who are participating in person or virtually.
12:50 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal René Arseneault
You’re right, Mr. Serré, but that creates a problem, because Mr. Godin was debating his amendment, and Mr. Beaulieu was supposed to speak after him. I interrupted him, unfortunately, because I thought he was talking about the previous amendments that we had rejected already. However, he wanted to move subamendments to Mr. Godin’s main motion, which he can do. I therefore cannot move on, as we are currently seized with Mr. Godin’s amendment to Mr. Serré’s main motion. We are on the first paragraph. Currently, Mr. Godin doesn't have the floor, and Mr. Beaulieu wanted to move an amendment.
12:50 p.m.
Bloc
Mario Beaulieu Bloc La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC
I suggest that Mr. Godin change locations, without going too far. Sometimes, that can help. Perhaps the walls are thick. In any case, I recommend that he remain in place to keep his right to vote, at least.
12:50 p.m.
Conservative
Joël Godin Conservative Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC
Mr. Chair, Mr. Beaulieu’s suggestion is a good one. Give me five minutes. I will withdraw and you can move on to something else. In the meantime, if you wish. Indeed, my Conservative Party colleagues can pick up the slack. However, you are correct in saying that it’s important for me to be there for the debate on my amendment, Mr. Chair.
12:50 p.m.
Bloc
12:50 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal René Arseneault
Mr. Beaulieu, I will give you the floor to talk about your new subamendments. If there are several, present them one at a time, please.
12:50 p.m.
Bloc
Mario Beaulieu Bloc La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC
Very well.
Indeed, as Mr. Godin said earlier, since time has passed, the dates don’t work anymore. If we proceed point by point, I propose a subamendment to point 1. At the end of point 1 of Mr. Godin’s amendment, I will replace the words “no later than Thursday, November 24, 2022” with the words “for four meetings, and plan for four additional meetings to hear from the final witnesses.”
I can send it to you in writing, if you want.
12:50 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal René Arseneault
Yes, send your subamendment in writing to the clerk, please.
In the meantime, Mr. Beaulieu, I want you to tell me if I understood correctly. You want to add “for four meetings” and include a fifth meeting for other witnesses. Is that right?
12:50 p.m.
Bloc
Mario Beaulieu Bloc La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC
In fact, we want to hear from the four ministers individually, in four separate sessions. We want to question each minister for two hours. I think that is very important.
I can repeat my argument from our previous encounter. You must remember it. I think it is important that they answer our questions. There should be four more meetings to accommodate the last witnesses. Mr. Godin's motion included hearing other witnesses. We would no longer be discussing dates, but rather the number of meetings. I am not claiming authorship of this, because it was already in the motion tabled by Mr. Godin. That sums up what I wanted to say.
On the one hand, I consider it important to be able to question the ministers to obtain answers. On the other hand, we should ensure that the scheduled witnesses are called. I have not named any particular witnesses so that the parties can propose witnesses according to the proportion that each party is entitled to. For the Bloc, it was agreed that we could invite 8% or 9% of the witnesses. That means eight meetings in total to hear from the ministers and the scheduled witnesses. That is important.
The debate is ongoing. There are more and more interventions in civil society. People are intervening and raising points that can feed our thinking and make Bill C‑13 evolve.
We want to respond to Quebec's requests. We have not looked at any of the requests from the Quebec government. For a very long time, there have been additional requests from groups defending French in Quebec that have not been heard. This morning, an open letter was published by various co‑signatory groups, including Impératif français, which we know well here, and the Mouvement national des Québécoises et des Québécois, a network that includes 17 national groups—
12:50 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal René Arseneault
Mr. Beaulieu, forgive me for interrupting you.
Have you sent your suggestion in writing?
12:50 p.m.
Bloc
Mario Beaulieu Bloc La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC
I did send it in writing, yes. The clerk indicated that she received it.
12:50 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal René Arseneault
Okay.
I understood two different things. I understood it to be four meetings, then a fifth. Now you are talking about eight meetings. Send your subamendment in writing so that we can read it.
12:50 p.m.
Bloc
Mario Beaulieu Bloc La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC
I did send it in writing. Maybe the clerk can distribute it to everyone.
12:50 p.m.
The Clerk
There was a small error in the text, so I was waiting for the second version of the text before sending it around.
12:50 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal René Arseneault
I think we are about to witness Mr. Godin's “resurrection.”
Even though we are re‑establishing communication with Mr. Godin, we are going to finish with your subamendment, Mr. Beaulieu. We'll have to wait for the written version.
12:50 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal René Arseneault
I received it. Has everyone else received it?
Let's focus on paragraph 1 of Mr. Beaulieu's subamendment, which amends Mr. Godin's amendment.
12:50 p.m.
Conservative
12:50 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal René Arseneault
Say a few words so the clerk can confirm that it's working well on your end. Just talk a bit.
12:50 p.m.
Conservative
Joël Godin Conservative Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC
Madam Clerk, can you hear me well?
I'm really sorry that technology is failing us. It is not sabotage or ill will. Unfortunately, we've all experienced it in the last two or three years.
Can the clerk confirm that everything is going well in terms of interpretation?