Official Languages Committee on Feb. 14th, 2023

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

That brings us to clause 15 and amendment BQ-17.

Go ahead, Mr. Beaulieu.

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

This amendment was also proposed by the Quebec government. It would amend clause 15, by replacing line 40 on page 8 with the following:

language by its employees, taking into account the minority situation of French in Canada due to the predominant use of English and the linguistic specificity of Quebec;

It's important. It effectively introduces a form of asymmetry, but without an asymmetrical system, French in Quebec cannot be protected. The purpose of this amendment is to do just that. One of the consequences of being in a minority is that in Quebec, it's very important for people to have the opportunity, and even the right, to work in French.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu.

Mr. Serré, you have the floor now.

[Marc Serré, Liberal, Nickel Belt, ON]

I'd like someone to explain the repercussions of the amendment, because we're also concerned about official language minority communities across the country. I don't know whether I should be asking the Treasury Board or the Department of Justice to explain.

[Carsten Quell]

Bilingual teams are normally treated the same way, whether they involve official language minority speakers outside Quebec or in Quebec. That is to say that if we compare a 10-person team in Sherbrooke consisting of eight francophones and two anglophones, and a 10-person team in eastern Ontario with eight anglophones and two francophones, the rights of official language minority speakers should be the same. This amendment would lead us to alter this approach, meaning that the anglophones on the Sherbrooke team would be treated differently.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

The floor is yours, Mr. Godin.

[Joël Godin, Conservative, Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I have a question for Mr. Fallu. We've seen him regularly, but we haven't asked him many questions so far.

Mr. Fallu, I believe you were involved in drafting Bill C-13. What's the meaning of paragraph 35(1)(a), on lines 35 to 40 on page 8? Does it concern Quebec?

[Marcel Fallu, Manager, Modernization of the Official Languages Act, Department of Canadian Heritage]

Could you repeat your question please, Mr. Godin?

[Joël Godin, Conservative, Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC]

In paragraph 35(1)(a), beginning on line 35...

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

It's on page 8 of Bill C-13.

[Joël Godin, Conservative, Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC]

...it says the following:

(a) within the national capital region and in any part or region of Canada, or in any place outside Canada, that is prescribed, work environments of the institution are conducive to the effective use of both official languages and accommodate the use of either official language by its employees;

During the drafting process, did you assume Quebec was covered by this section?

[Marcel Fallu]

I would point out that this clause in Bill C-13 was correcting technical discrepancies in the wording of many of the provisions in Part V of the act adopted in1988. For the time being, I'll stick to that.

[Joël Godin, Conservative, Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC]

Yes, but after all, we have on the table an amendment that would add at the end of the paragraph I just read, the words "language by its employees, taking into account the minority situation of French in Canada due to the predominant use of English and the linguistic specificity of Quebec".

When you drafted this section, did you believe that Quebec was covered by the modus operandi described?

[Marcel Fallu]

It's a part of the act that is currently under the authority of the Treasury Board.

I'm going to give the floor to Mr. Quell so that he can give you further details.

[Joël Godin, Conservative, Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC]

Excuse me, Mr. Fallu, it wasn't the Treasury Board that drafted the act. Wasn't it the Department of Canadian Heritage?

[Marcel Fallu]

It was an interdepartmental effort.

[Joël Godin, Conservative, Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC]

All right.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

Excuse me, I didn't understand the answer.

[Marcel Fallu]

It was an interdepartmental effort.

[Joël Godin, Conservative, Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC]

Were you the person who wrote it?

[Marcel Fallu]

It wasn't me personally, but I was involved in the process.

[Joël Godin, Conservative, Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC]

Okay. Thank you.

[Carsten Quell]

The Treasury Board is responsible for Part V of the act. We were definitely involved in drafting this provision.

I can confirm that we were aware of the impact of this provision on Quebec, because when "prescribed" regions are mentioned, that's a reference to prescribed bilingual areas in Ontario and Quebec, and they cover the entire province of New Brunswick. So yes, it also includes Quebec.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

Thank you, Mr. Quell.

Do you have any other questions, Mr. Godin?

[Joël Godin, Conservative, Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC]

In fact this situation is rather sensitive. In my view, Quebec is not a region. Quebec is a province. I think we need to pay attention to the wording of this provision.

I understand that you are talking about Canada's national capital region, which is Ottawa. You mentioned other regions and other parts of Canada, but I think that if the intent was to include Quebec in that paragraph, it should perhaps have referred to the province of Quebec, which has special status. I know that the province of New Brunswick has bilingual status, but Quebec, in my view, has unilingual francophone status because the common language is French.