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.
1:15 p.m.
Conservative
Joël Godin Conservative Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC
I'm sorry, Mr. Chair, but I am still going to ask for unanimous consent, if possible. I can also chair the committee, if you want.
1:15 p.m.
Conservative
1:15 p.m.
Conservative
1:15 p.m.
Liberal
1:15 p.m.
Conservative
Joël Godin Conservative Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC
The clerk had the information. She may not have sent it to you. If you were on site, it would be easier. You are participating remotely and we are respecting that.
1:15 p.m.
Conservative
Joël Godin Conservative Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Minister, I simply wanted to verify something with you.
Do you support the idea that we propose amendments to make it so that Bill C-13 gives the president of the Treasury Board more powers?
I would like you to give me a quick answer, please.
1:15 p.m.
President of the Treasury Board
The committee is obviously working very hard.
Personally, I can say that at Treasury Board we think we have found the right balance, precisely for playing a better role.
1:15 p.m.
Conservative
1:20 p.m.
Conservative
Joël Godin Conservative Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC
Would you support an amendment that gave you more powers?
1:20 p.m.
President of the Treasury Board
I think I already have enough powers. If you think I should have more, I will leave it to you to do that. I really think we have found the right balance.
1:20 p.m.
Conservative
Joël Godin Conservative Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC
Thank you, Minister.
Until last May, Treasury Board had a directive that provided that when a federal institution disposed of surplus real property, it had to consider the interests of the communities, including official language minority communities, and of the other levels of government. It also had to prepare a balanced disposal strategy for real property, supported by an exhaustive evaluation of the interests of the federal government and other stakeholders, including the interests of official language minority communities.
That directive was repealed and replaced by the Directive on the Management of Real Property, which provides only that federal institutions must inform official language minority communities of the intent to dispose of real property.
Minister, this means that the rights of francophone and Acadian communities have been significantly weakened by the government.
Are you going to correct this and support an amendment to Bill C-13 that will guarantee that federal institutions are actually required to take the interests of francophone and Acadian communities into account when they dispose of surplus real property?
1:20 p.m.
President of the Treasury Board
Thank you for telling me about that.
I heard about this change only quite recently. The official language minority communities were consulted. Nonetheless, I asked the department to take another look at this change, which was made in the wake of other changes made following the election. We are currently taking another look at that directive.
Thank you for pointing that out.
Other members have also pointed it out.
1:20 p.m.
Conservative
Joël Godin Conservative Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC
What you're telling me, Madam Treasury Board President, is that people in your department made adjustments or changes without consulting you.
1:20 p.m.
President of the Treasury Board
I wasn't the President of the Treasury Board at the time, so I couldn't have been consulted.
1:20 p.m.
Conservative
1:20 p.m.
President of the Treasury Board
The changes were made last May, but the decision was made before that.
1:20 p.m.
Conservative
Joël Godin Conservative Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC
I think the directive was in effect until last May.
1:20 p.m.
President of the Treasury Board
I was told that the decisions were made before the election.
1:20 p.m.
Conservative
Joël Godin Conservative Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC
You understand what this demonstrates, Ms. Fortier.
1:20 p.m.
President of the Treasury Board
What's important, Mr. Godin—and you pointed this out—is that the official language minority communities, as well as indigenous communities, are consulted. The same is true for the provinces and territories when it comes to real property requests. I think we need to revisit and review this.
