Official Languages Committee on Feb. 14th, 2023

[Anthony Housefather, Liberal, Mount Royal, QC]

Second, for example, with signage, which is not a service, you would then have to take into consideration—as opposed to federal signage in Quebec being French-English equal, as it is in the rest of the country—this and perhaps make the signage predominantly or almost entirely in French. Is that correct?

[Julie Boyer]

This is one of the measures that my colleague Carsten Quell mentioned could be taken to meet this obligation, yes.

[Anthony Housefather, Liberal, Mount Royal, QC]

I could come up with 50 or 60 of these other kinds of things to explain why this doesn't work, but thank you so much. I appreciate it.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

Over to you, Mr. Beaulieu.

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

Its purpose is to continue to take into account the fact that French is threatened in a context where English predominates in Canada and North America. The intent of Bill 101 was never to take away any services from anglophones. However, what's wanted is for newcomers to see that French is the official and common language. It's the only way to ensure that newcomers can be integrated into their host society within the same framework of rights and duties.

The act will nevertheless apply to new services, I feel, and this might have been stated. In any event, it's very important to always factor in the minority context of French in Canada and America because French is in decline. For the first time in 52 years, meaning since the introduction of the Official Languages Act, the federal government believes that it needs to protect French, not only outside Quebec, but even within Quebec. I therefore believe that steps have to be taken to do that, and one way of doing so is to always interpret things from that standpoint.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu.

On behalf of of the committee members, I'd like to clarify the fact that when Ms. Lattanzio asked the officials some questions earlier, she incorrectly and accidentally referred to a subamendment. However it was not a subamendment, but the new version of amendment BQ-14. The former version no longer exists. I just want to make sure that we're talking about an amendment and not a subamendment.

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

I have a point of order, Mr. Chair.

I don't believe that it's necessary for the chair to say that amendment BQ-14 was amended. As you know, an amendment is not public until it has been introduced. It's therefore important not to talk about the process ahead of time.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

Mr. Godin, I was careful not to talk about the content of the previous version of amendment BQ-14.

I simply wanted to rectify something, because an earlier question implied that we were proposing a subamendment, which was not the case because it was an amendment, BQ-14, the one that Mr. Beaulieu proposed. I wanted to make sure everyone was on the same page.

Mr. Garneau, you have the floor.

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

I have a comment, Mr. Chair.

Amendments BQ-14 and CPC-15 say essentially the same thing, except for the second part of amendment BQ-14. According to the legal opinion…

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

I have a point of order, Mr. Chair.

Amendment CPC-15 no longer exists. It was unanimously withdrawn by the official committee members.

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

Right. In that case, I withdraw my comment.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

Okay.

Over to you, Ms. Lattanzio.

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

I'll be very brief, Mr. Chair.

On the basis of the comments made this afternoon, the consensus is to protect and promote French. The way I see it, adding this wording to Bill-C-13 would not contribute to strengthening French in Quebec. I don't see the point of including it.

In a way, it strikes me as contradictory. If my colleagues want to strengthen French in Quebec, then this section would not contribute to that at all. That's why I'm going to vote against it, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

Go ahead, Mr. Godin.

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

I'd like to follow up on my colleague's comments.

This amendment was probably put forward in response to current events and to the confrontations being stirred up between anglophones and francophones. That being the case, I think it was useful for my colleague to propose it.

I nevertheless value your comment, Ms. Lattanzio.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

All right.

Let's vote on amendment BQ-14.

(The amendment is defeated: nays 6; yeas 5)

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

As there are no more amendments to study in connection with clause 13 of the bill, we will put it to the vote.

(Clause 13 is adopted.)

(Clause 14)

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

That brings us to clause 14 of the bill and to amendment CPC-16, which is on page 46 of the package of amendments.

Go ahead, Mr. Godin.

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

Mr. Chair, I think that it's important for the incumbents of certain positions within the public service to understand both official languages. We determined in the past that there were problems with access to promotions for those who spoke only one of the two official languages. I believe that amendment CPC-16 will provide an additional way for these people to work in the language of their choice.

We are therefore proposing that Bill C-13, in clause 14, be amended by adding after line 32 on page 8 the following:

“(2) Persons appointed by the Governor in Council to the following positions in federal institutions must, on their appointment, follow the necessary language training to be able to speak and understand clearly both official languages:

(a) deputy minister, associate deputy minister and positions of equivalent ranks.

I would add that the Language Skills Act adopted in 2013 by Stephen Harper's Conservative government addresses language skills in the public service and uses exactly the same wording. I simply want to remind people that the Conservatives have always defended the French language.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

Thank you, Mr. Godin.

Since there are no further questions, we're going to vote on this amendment.

(The amendment is carried: yeas 6; nays 5)

That leads us to amendment BQ-15.

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

I'm not going to propose it, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

Thank you Mr. Beaulieu.

That brings us to amendment BQ-16, on page 48 of the package of amendments.

Go ahead, Mr. Beaulieu.

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

This amendment is along the same lines as the previous one, from our Conservative colleague Mr. Godin. We propose that Bill C-13, in Clause 14, be amended by adding after line 32 on page 8 the following:

(2) The deputy head or other administrative head of any federal institution and the chief executive officer of any corporation subject to the Act must, at the time of their appointment, be able to speak and understand French clearly.

The purpose of this is to prevent situations like the one that occurred at CN, which did not have any francophone senior administrators.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

You have the floor, Ms. Lattanzio.

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

The question is for you, Ms. Boyer.

With regard to the amendment, when we speak of the chief executive officers of corporations, is it not shareholders who vote and appoint them—not the government?