Official Languages Committee on Jan. 31st, 2023

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

Yes.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

Mr. Serré, you have the floor.

[Marc Serré, Liberal, Nickel Belt, ON]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I am going to come out against the amendment and the subamendment and what was moved beforehand, and explain my reasons for doing so.

First, I thank Mr. Beaulieu and Mr. Généreux for proposing additions about the use of French in emergency situations, and recognizing Indigenous languages, which was not in the act—

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

I will interrupt you, if I may, Mr. Serré. I want to remind everyone that we're dealing with Mr. Généreux's subamendment and we need to focus on that before we talk about amendment BQ‑1.1.

[Marc Serré, Liberal, Nickel Belt, ON]

All right.

Item (c) of the amendment is very good and I thank Mr. Beaulieu for it.

I'd like to speak to what Mr. Généreux proposed regarding lines 27 through 30 on page 2 of the bill, which would be deleted. I will read it to you:

AND WHEREAS the Government of Canada recognizes that the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation contributes through its activities to enhancing the vitality of the English and French linguistic minority communities and to the protection and promotion of both official languages;

Earlier, I asked Mr. Beaulieu a question about protecting minority francophones in this country. When I read this subamendment, I don't understand how we can say we are defending the French language in this country and also propose to delete these lines. I know this is part of Mr. Poilievre's agenda, but it's unacceptable.

In addition, the subamendment would remove lines 12 through 16 on page 3 of the bill, which I will read to you:

AND WHEREAS the Government of Canada recognizes that each province and territory has adopted laws, policies or programs guaranteeing service in French or recognizing the contribution of the English or French linguistic minority community to Canadian society;

I don't understand why Mr. Beaulieu and Mr. Généreux are suggesting we delete this passage. If we want to move forward with this bill, we need to stop suggesting that the rights of francophones outside Quebec in minority situations be taken away, which is what both these amendments propose to do.

For these reasons, we will not support the subamendment.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

Ms. Ashton, you have the floor.

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

First, I'd like to recognize the importance of taking into account emergency situations and protecting Indigenous languages.

Our party is concerned about the proposed removal of certain provisions in the bill, such as the provision that reiterates the importance of the CBC's work in certain regions. As a member for a rural area in the North, I know that its services are vital to our communities, and even more so to official language minority communities. We take issue with the removal of these passages and therefore cannot support it.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

Thank you, Ms. Ashton.

Ms. Lattanzio, you have the floor to speak to the subamendment.

[Patricia Lattanzio, Liberal, Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I understand that there are two important paragraphs that are being deleted. I understand that my colleague has proposed to delete them.

I would like to have perhaps an explanation as to why the member feels that the following clause with regard to the CBC should be deleted, when we specifically state:

And whereas the Government of Canada recognizes that the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation contributes through its activities to enhancing the vitality of the English and French linguistic minority communities and to the protection and promotion of both official languages;

Why does he believe that we need to delete this? That would be my first question. We understand his leader's position with regard to the CBC, but I'd like to hear from the member himself.

Then I would ask the same question with regard to the other paragraph he wishes to delete, Mr. Chair. Can I hear him on that?

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

Thank you.

Mr. Beaulieu, you have the floor.

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

In item (f) of our amendment, we move to put the following back in:

AND WHEREAS the Government of Canada recognizes that English or French linguistic minority communities are present in every province and territory and that the English linguistic minority in Quebec and the French linguistic minority communities in the other provinces and territories have different needs;

It amounts to the same thing. It's rephrased. Then we go on to talk about the “existence of a majority-French society”. We remove that text from one place and put it back in elsewhere.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu.

With respect to the minority argument, I believe that Ms. Lattanzio was talking about two things. She was also talking about the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.

Mr. Généreux, I believe you wanted to speak to reply or respond.

[Bernard Généreux, Conservative, Montmagny—L'Islet—Kamouraska—Rivière-du-Loup, QC]

I hadn't asked to speak.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

Okay.

Mr. Garneau, you have the floor.

[Marc Garneau, Liberal, Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Westmount, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I simply want to make a comment.

I don't understand the Conservatives' reasoning. Actually, I think I do understand it. They have flatly said in the past that they don't support the CBC and Radio-Canada. That's why they are moving a subamendment to delete the part of the preamble that talks about the CBC.

However, like them or not, the CBC and Radio-Canada undeniably contribute significantly to promoting official languages across Canada, including in Quebec.

Furthermore, the contribution anglophone and francophone minorities make to Canadian society is recognized as fundamental. I'm wondering why they would urge us to remove lines 12 to 16 from the proposed preamble.

Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

Does anyone else wish to speak?

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

I would just like to say that we bring this passage back a little further down and add that the communities have different needs.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

Ms. Lattanzio, you have the floor.

[Patricia Lattanzio, Liberal, Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel, QC]

Given that the member who moved this subamendment doesn't wish to respond or clarify his reasoning, I would submit the same question to my Bloc Québécois colleague opposite.

I'd like to understand why he feels the passage regarding the work of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation must be deleted from the proposed preamble.

It's the medium owned by Canadians. They need news and services in English and French.

I wonder why Mr. Beaulieu would be in favour of deleting this passage.

I'm wondering the same thing about the value of striking the following passage from the proposed preamble:

AND WHEREAS the Government of Canada recognizes the importance of preserving and enhancing the use of other languages and reclaiming, revitalizing and strengthening the Indigenous languages while strengthening the status and use of the official languages;

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

That passage is not covered by BQ‑1.1.

[Patricia Lattanzio, Liberal, Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel, QC]

My apologies, Mr. Beaulieu.

I meant the part of the proposed preamble that reads as follows:

recognizes that each province and territory has adopted laws, policies or programs guaranteeing service in French or recognizing the contribution of the English or French linguistic minority community to Canadian society;

Sorry, I noted that incorrectly.

Why do you want to delete these two passages?

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

First of all, the part pertaining to francophones outside Quebec is not deleted. Secondly, regarding the CBC, what the proposed preamble says is already part of the CBC's mandate. I am not denying the importance of the CBC, but I do not think we need to strengthen the CBC, which is already being strengthened constantly. I am not opposed to the CBC's mandate, but it might not be necessary to include it in the Official Languages Act.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

If there are no further comments, we will now move to a vote on Mr. Généreux's subamendment.

Mr. Généreux, would you like to say something first?

[Bernard Généreux, Conservative, Montmagny—L'Islet—Kamouraska—Rivière-du-Loup, QC]

No.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

Let us vote then, Madam Clerk.

(Subamendment negatived: nays 6; yeas 4)