Official Languages Committee on Dec. 8th, 2022

[Pablo Rodriguez, Liberal, Honoré-Mercier, QC]

You don't recognize it.

[Mario Beaulieu, Bloc, La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC]

That minority has the powers of a majority across Canada.

[Pablo Rodriguez, Liberal, Honoré-Mercier, QC]

There's also a francophone minority outside Quebec. The Official Languages Act concerns both minorities. What the Liberal government has recognized for the first time is that French is now threatened and that we must do more to protect it both in and outside Quebec.

Under this bill, we will ensure that francophone workers can work in French and that French-language services are offered in federal institutions.

[Mario Beaulieu, Bloc, La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC]

You're avoiding the question.

Funding is provided to Quebec under part VII of the Official Languages Act, but it's exclusively used to promote English as an official language and to support the anglophone community.

What will change under this bill?

[Pablo Rodriguez, Liberal, Honoré-Mercier, QC]

If you have any specific questions on the bill, you can put them to…

[Mario Beaulieu, Bloc, La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC]

You're responsible for it—

[Pablo Rodriguez, Liberal, Honoré-Mercier, QC]

…the minister, who was appointed by the Prime Minister. Take a look at her mandate letter. She's the one who has that mandate, not me, Mr. Beaulieu.

[Mario Beaulieu, Bloc, La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC]

You're deflecting. You're ultimately giving us the same answers as we've previously been given.

You agree to none of Quebec's requests. You've accepted the general principle that French is in decline. That alone is scandalous because French has been declining for 52 years. You've acknowledged it for two years now, and I congratulate you on that. However, you don't want to act accordingly. You say you're going to help the French language, but nothing gets done.

You mentioned language of work. The unanimous view in Quebec, the view of the former provincial premiers, including Liberals, the unions and the major cities, is that the Charter of the French language applies to federally regulated private businesses. However, Bill C-13 prevents that by giving those businesses a choice. Those less inclined to accept French as a common language will cop out if we fail to entrench this principle.

I'm going to put the same questions to Ms. Petitpas Taylor in a moment, but you're supposed to answer now.

You constantly repeat that your government is establishing the right to be served in French in Quebec. Yes, I hope it's a right now, 50 years later.

You've often said that Bill C-13 is a carbon copy of Bill 101 for federally regulated private businesses. However, that's not the case at all, and it's actually misinformation. Bill 101 is designed to make French the common language in Quebec, and that's not at all the purpose of the Official Languages Act. The act doesn't provide for French to be the predominant language in signage. Bill 101 provides for a right to work in French, but the federal act defends the right to work in English in federal institutions. That's not at all the same thing.

So you don't accept Quebec's requests. I'll let you answer.

[Pablo Rodriguez, Liberal, Honoré-Mercier, QC]

Mr. Beaulieu, it may surprise you, but we work very well with Quebec. Let me digress a little here.

[Mario Beaulieu, Bloc, La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC]

You always say that, but that's not what I want to hear.

[Pablo Rodriguez, Liberal, Honoré-Mercier, QC]

Mr. Chair, a little respect, please.

[Mario Beaulieu, Bloc, La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC]

I interrupt you when you evade the question. Go ahead.

[Pablo Rodriguez, Liberal, Honoré-Mercier, QC]

I never evade, Mr. Beaulieu. You know me well enough to understand that. I'd like to be able to say the same.

As regards our relations with Quebec, we have reached agreements, particularly in housing, child care services, aeronautics, the Internet, manpower training, asylum-seekers and the fight against homelessness. We're investing billions of dollars in the Safe Restart Agreement and $2.4 million to celebrate Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day. We're also investing in the Espace René-Lévesque, in New Carlisle. The investments are adding up.

We aren't just able to cooperate with Quebec; we're actually doing it. This includes the official language file, Mr. Beaulieu, because there's a common will to do so. Earlier I said we don't always agree on means, but we definitely agree on the objective. We're talking here about the language of work and the language of service, and that's clearly stated in the bill.

[Mario Beaulieu, Bloc, La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC]

You restate the objective, but there are no means to achieve it.

Moving on to another question, many organizations funded by Canadian Heritage, including the Quebec Community Groups Network, the Regional Association of West Quebecers and the Townshippers' Association, frequently label the Quebec government and those who defend the French language racist.

Is that your view? You've previously said so in the House, and you apologized for it.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

There are less than five seconds left, Mr. Beaulieu.

[Pablo Rodriguez, Liberal, Honoré-Mercier, QC]

I've never said that in the House. That's a personal attack, Mr. Beaulieu, and I hope you will withdraw that comment. If any one thing is clear, it's that Quebeckers—

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

Mr. Rodriguez and Mr. Beaulieu, time is up.

[Pablo Rodriguez, Liberal, Honoré-Mercier, QC]

I haven't answered the question. Quebeckers aren't racist, Mr. Beaulieu.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

Please direct your answers to the chair, where possible.

We will begin the next round.

Ms. Ashton, you have the floor for six minutes.

[Niki Ashton, NDP, Churchill—Keewatinook Aski, MB]

Thank you.

Good afternoon, Ms. Petitpas Taylor and Mr. Rodriguez.

Mr. Rodriguez, you are also the Quebec lieutenant for your government. French is in decline in Quebec, and Quebeckers are concerned about the deteriorating situation.

What will you do to stop the decline of French in Quebec? Will you take measures with Ms. Petitpas Taylor to assist the minority community in Quebec and, more importantly, to defend French in Quebec? If so, what measures will you take?

[Pablo Rodriguez, Liberal, Honoré-Mercier, QC]

That's a very good and important question. Once again, I'll ask the minister responsible for official languages to give you the details. I'll simply tell you that the bill concerns language of work and access to services, but it also contains a whole set of other measures.

Under Bill C-11, streaming businesses such as Disney and Netflix will have to contribute to the creation and production of content in English and French in Canada, and especially in French in Quebec. That bill will have a direct beneficial impact.

Furthermore, Bill C-18 will protect local journalism. Money will be invested in our small newspapers in the regions and elsewhere by Google, Facebook and the web giants, which currently benefit from content without paying for it. The bill will support francophone content creation both in and outside Quebec.

Unlike Mr. Beaulieu, I'm convinced we can reinforce the French fact without attacking the anglophone minority. That's the major difference.

[Niki Ashton, NDP, Churchill—Keewatinook Aski, MB]

All right.

My second question concerns Canadian Heritage's coordination role, which your department wants to preserve under the provisions of Bill C-13. When Canadian Heritage directs other departments to discharge their official languages obligations, why can't you ensure that your colleagues and their departments comply with your decisions?

[Pablo Rodriguez, Liberal, Honoré-Mercier, QC]

Ms. Petitpas Taylor is here and can answer questions on specific official language issues. My days are quite long, and I work seven days a week. I don't intervene in or work on official language issues. Those issues are the responsibility of my colleague, who was duly appointed by the Prime Minister. Her mandate letter outlines her duties and obligations in that regard. My mandate letter contains many measures, but they don't concern official languages.

[Niki Ashton, NDP, Churchill—Keewatinook Aski, MB]

As was previously said, that state of affairs is a problem. Virtually all the witnesses we've heard in this committee want a central agency, the Treasury Board, to assume responsibility. I respectfully submit to you, based on what the communities tell us, that the way things are being done now is a problem.

Once again, Bill C-13 continues to confer significant powers on Canadian Heritage. If you haven't managed to carry out your mission thus far, how would you be able to do so in future?

[Pablo Rodriguez, Liberal, Honoré-Mercier, QC]

Ms. Ashton, once again, if you're asking a question specifically about official languages, my colleague will be pleased to answer it. And she's here.

I can tell you that Canadian Heritage has introduced a set of measures. For example, we have bills C-11 and C-18. Other measures concern the Canada Council for the Arts. Telefilm Canada has just funded a number of French-language productions both in and outside Quebec. The National Film Board and other institutions that report to Canadian Heritage and are thus under my responsibility can help support the vitality of French both in and outside Quebec.

I can answer questions about those measures, but my colleague will be pleased to answer questions specifically about official languages.