Evidence of meeting #44 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.
11:50 a.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal René Arseneault
Mr. Iacono, I told you I had stopped the clock before you spoke.
Go ahead. You have the floor for two and a half minutes.
11:50 a.m.
Liberal
Angelo Iacono Liberal Alfred-Pellan, QC
Ms. Petitpas Taylor, would you tell us a little more about how we can entrench this principle in Bill C-13?
11:55 a.m.
Liberal
Ginette Petitpas Taylor Liberal Moncton—Riverview—Dieppe, NB
Pardon me, Mr. Iacono, but I'll have to ask you to repeat your question.
11:55 a.m.
Liberal
Angelo Iacono Liberal Alfred-Pellan, QC
On a point of order, Mr. Chair.
Mr. Chair, do you understand why I said I should start asking my question from the beginning and why the clock should be adjusted so the minister could understand my entire question?
11:55 a.m.
Liberal
Angelo Iacono Liberal Alfred-Pellan, QC
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.
Minister, when the Liberal Party committed to appointing bilingual judges to the Supreme Court of Canada, the Conservative Party opposed it for a long time. That's deeply disappointing for anyone who believes that all Canadians deserve to be heard in the highest court in the land in the official language of their choice.
Could you tell us a little more about how we can entrench that principle in Bill C-13?
11:55 a.m.
Liberal
Ginette Petitpas Taylor Liberal Moncton—Riverview—Dieppe, NB
Thank you very much, Mr. Iacono.
Since we came to power, all judges who have been appointed to the Supreme Court of Canada have been bilingual, by which I mean they don't need interpretation services.
We acknowledge that access to justice in the language of one's choice is a fundamental right, and I repeat that we want to ensure that judges sitting on Canada's highest court are able to understand the court's proceedings in the client's language.
I added that obligation to Bill C-13 in order to entrench it, since we want to ensure that future governments can't change this policy. We think this is a fundamental right, and we want to make sure it stays that way.
11:55 a.m.
Liberal
Angelo Iacono Liberal Alfred-Pellan, QC
Minister, we've heard certain English-language groups from Quebec express concerns about the consequences the act will have for their communities.
How do you respond to those groups?
Will they lose their language rights when Bill C-13 is passed?
11:55 a.m.
Liberal
Ginette Petitpas Taylor Liberal Moncton—Riverview—Dieppe, NB
Thank you very much for that important question.
As my colleague so clearly said, we acknowledge that the official language minority communities consist of anglophones from Quebec and francophones from outside Quebec.
As Judge Bastarache clearly said when he appeared before the Standing Senate Committee on Official Languages, Quebec anglophones will lose no rights under Bill C-13.
I repeat that we want to ensure that people can work in French and be served in French in regions with a strong francophone presence outside Quebec. That right will also apply to Quebec anglophones.
I repeat: Quebec anglophones will lose no rights under Bill C-13.
11:55 a.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal René Arseneault
Thank you, Minister.
The next member will have two and a half minutes of speaking time.
The floor is yours, Mr. Beaulieu.
11:55 a.m.
Bloc
Mario Beaulieu Bloc La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Mr. Rodriguez, do you think that condemning the anglophone pressure groups that you fund and that call us racist constitutes an attack on English speakers?
11:55 a.m.
Liberal
Pablo Rodriguez Liberal Honoré-Mercier, QC
That's really a strange take, Mr. Beaulieu.
In life, generally speaking, and particularly when you're a political leader, you should show some openness, reach out and stop pointing fingers and talking in terms of "us" against "them".
As I told you, Quebeckers aren't racist. You should stop judging everyone from the top…
11:55 a.m.
Liberal
11:55 a.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal René Arseneault
Just a moment, please.
The interpreters are finding it impossible to do their job.
Please wait for an answer before asking a question, and I remind you that answers should be directed through the chair.
Mr. Beaulieu, I am restarting the clock. Go ahead.
11:55 a.m.
Bloc
Mario Beaulieu Bloc La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC
I'll ask another question.
The Quebec government has made requests regarding language requirements in federal institutions. As we know, 68% of federal public service positions in Quebec require knowledge of English, compared to 9% of positions for which knowledge of French is required.
Will Bill C-13 change that situation?
11:55 a.m.
Liberal
Pablo Rodriguez Liberal Honoré-Mercier, QC
That will depend on how Bill C-13 is applied and on the discussions.
As I told you, Ms. Petitpas Taylor recently had a very good meeting with the Quebec minister Jean-François Roberge. She can tell you about that as well. We discuss many issues every day, including the language issue, Mr. Beaulieu.
11:55 a.m.
Bloc
Mario Beaulieu Bloc La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC
It's always the same thing. You don't answer questions. You respond with generalities. You sidestep the issue.
We wonder whether that's why endless attempts have been made to silence the committee so that Quebeckers don't realize that you're fooling them and that nothing in Bill C-13 will really help shore up the French language.
Noon
Liberal