Evidence of meeting #43 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 c-13.
A recording is available from Parliament.
President of the Treasury Board
Well, with Bill C-13, we will be enforcing the fact that federally regulated sectors will have the ability to offer those services in both official languages.
I know you'll be able to dive in more on this issue with Minister Petitpas Taylor on Thursday. I would let her bring forward the analysis that has been done for that provision.
Conservative
Brad Vis Conservative Mission—Matsqui—Fraser Canyon, BC
In good faith, Minister, I'd ask you to review those sections of the law. What you just said almost contradicts the powers of the Official Languages Act. With regard to the amendments under clause 54 of Bill C-13 moving forward for federally regulated workplaces, what you just said almost contradicts it. It says very clearly that it's up to the federally regulated private business to determine whether work is done in French or English.
For the record, I have no problem with the steps the Quebec government has taken. I'm addressing this only in the context of our Prime Minister, who has said it's problematic how the Province of Quebec has used the notwithstanding clause. Secondly, the justice minister, who comes from Quebec, has also stood in strong opposition to this law.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal René Arseneault
Thank you, Mr. Vis.
I'm sorry, but we have passed your time.
Madame Lattanzio, you have five minutes. The floor is yours.
Liberal
Patricia Lattanzio Liberal Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel, QC
Thank you, Mr. Chair, and thank you to the minister for being with us this afternoon.
Minister, I'm going to address some of the questions I have for you in French. The first one maybe carries a bit through the question that was asked of you by my colleague on the opposite side.
Why could Treasury Board not handle coordination as the central agency, instead of the Department of Canadian Heritage?
I would like to hear more from you on that subject.
President of the Treasury Board
Thank you for your question.
As I said earlier, Treasury Board's role will be that of central agency for ensuring compliance and for evaluating and monitoring the various federal institutions.
Treasury Board is in a good position to play a greater role internally, while the Department of Canadian Heritage will be better able to play a role externally, since it has expertise in the field.
As I said earlier, Treasury Board will be able to enforce and establish standards and monitoring elements across the government. The Department of Canadian Heritage will focus its efforts on programs and its commitment to stakeholders.
I will give you an example.
The office of the Department of Canadian Heritage, throughout Canada, gives it expertise in the field, while Treasury Board is only present in Ottawa. As you know, it would not be effective for a body like Treasury Board to be responsible for program implementation and also be in charge of compliance by federal institutions. To clarify, the Department of Canadian Heritage could not handle compliance by federal institutions. Treasury Board will be responsible for that.
You may have already heard from people like Linda Cardinal and Michel Bastarache, who also agree that Treasury Board Secretariat should not have sole responsibility for the Official Languages Act, although its role must be strengthened.
As well, as we said, we are making an essential change, and Treasury Board will have the job of holding federal departments accountable for using positive measures to promote the official languages.
In addition, as I think we have clearly shown, Treasury Board is the best central agency to handle that responsibility.
Liberal
Patricia Lattanzio Liberal Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel, QC
Thank you, Minister.
I am going to continue in the same vein, the delegation of powers.
Some people have criticized the delegation of powers to deputy heads at Treasury Board. Bill C-13 limits the power of general delegation to a specific delegation to institutions.
How has this delegation of powers been used in the past?
President of the Treasury Board
As I said earlier in reply to a question from Ms. Ashton, we have never used that delegation of powers. So there is no experience in that regard.
Liberal
Patricia Lattanzio Liberal Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel, QC
Right.
Is the government going to adopt a tool that would allow for an official languages lens to be applied to the policies, programs, initiatives and services put in place by federal institutions, modeled on the gender-based analysis plus, or GBA Plus?
President of the Treasury Board
It is a tool that we take into consideration. As well, we referred to it in the well-known White Paper entitled "English and French: Towards a substantive equality of official languages in Canada." The government affirms its intention to strengthen the analysis of the impact of initiatives developed by departments regarding official languages and official language minority communities.
That initiative will be administrative, not legislative, which means that it is not currently reflected in Bill C-13. However, it will be applied administratively when the bill is passed, which I hope will be done soon.
Liberal
Patricia Lattanzio Liberal Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel, QC
Thank you, Minister.
I come from Quebec, where I represent an anglophone minority community.
How does the government go about improving services in official language minority communities?
Liberal
The Chair Liberal René Arseneault
That is a good question, Ms. Lattanzio, but your speaking time is up.
The next questions will be asked by Mario Beaulieu.
Mr. Beaulieu, you have the floor for two and a half minutes.
Bloc
Mario Beaulieu Bloc La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I am going to continue along the same line as Ms. Lattanzio.
Since the Official Languages Act came into force, what are referred to as "positive" measures in Quebec operate almost entirely to strengthen the anglophone community.
Will Bill C-13 change anything about that?
President of the Treasury Board
We have to continue supporting official language minority communities and anglophone communities, and that is what we are going to do through Bill C-13.
President of the Treasury Board
There is always something for French. We have said from the outset that we are well aware that there has been a decline in French. However, in Canada and Quebec, we obviously have to respect official language minority communities...
Bloc
Mario Beaulieu Bloc La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC
We don't have a lot of time.
Quebec has asked that it be recognized that of the two official languages, only one is in a minority situation and is threatened: French. You are telling us that this request is denied in Bill C-13 and that you believe English is the minority language in Quebec. So all federal support measures will be devoted to English.
President of the Treasury Board
We recognize that there has been a decline in French in Quebec and in Canada...
Bloc
Mario Beaulieu Bloc La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC
No, that's not it. You recognize that there has been a decline in French, but you continue to support English alone. That doesn't work.
President of the Treasury Board
We also recognize that we have to support federal programs and offer services to Canadians and Quebeckers in both official languages.
Bloc
Mario Beaulieu Bloc La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC
How can you say that you recognize there has been a decline in French and you want to support French, but you are going to continue devoting 100 per cent of your assistance to English in Quebec?
President of the Treasury Board
If I am not mistaken, very recently, regarding immigration—Mr. Fraser may have answered...
Bloc
Mario Beaulieu Bloc La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC
I'm talking about positive measures that involve your department.
President of the Treasury Board
I believe immigration is also a positive measure. We have to agree on that. Immigration is a positive measure...
President of the Treasury Board
I can explain that we are going to respect...