Official Languages Committee on Feb. 17th, 2023

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

Ms. Boyer, you said earlier that you have an obligation to make a list of measures that involve spending. Does the amendment require you to disclose the list of all measures for us as legislators to decide?

[Julie Boyer]

No, the amendment doesn't do that.

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

It's a loophole.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

Mr. Serré, you have the floor.

[Marc Serré, Liberal, Nickel Belt, ON]

I think Ms. Boyer has somewhat addressed Mr. Godin's concerns. The amendment does not detract from the bill as far as positive measures go.

Ms. Boyer, can you give us an example of regulations, in part VII, to show that the amendment does not detract from the bill?

[Julie Boyer]

Mr. Chair, I will let Mr. Fallu answer.

[Marcel Fallu]

Thank you.

Mr. Serré, you talk about regulations. Part VII has provided for regulatory authority since the act was strengthened in 2005. However, to date, that authority has not been exercised. So there are no regulations in place now, but the regulatory authority remains. It is moved to the new subsection 41(11) of the act proposed by Bill C-13, but it is essentially the same regulatory authority as is found in the current version of the act. The purpose of regulations for applying part VII would be to regulate how the obligations are to be met.

In addition, I would note that the new subsections 41(6) to 41(10) of the act proposed by Bill C-13 clarify the steps to be taken by federal institutions in relation to positive measures, to address potential implementation issues. All of this can also be further clarified through regulations, as well as through Treasury Board policy instruments. These instruments are a new feature of Bill C-13, as the current version of the act does not provide for this possibility in part VII.

So there are ways to be even more specific in providing guidance to federal institutions. However, as much as I would like us public servants to be the ones to vote on budgets, that is not the case.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

Thank you.

Mr. Beaulieu, the floor is yours.

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

I think we have been very reasonable. We want to move the debate along as quickly as possible and give us time to go over all the amendments. So far, we have gone over 20 clauses out of 71, and we have debated and voted on 44 amendments. We are up to page 78 of 229 in the amendment package.

In addition to the application of Bill 101 to federally regulated businesses in Quebec, clause 54 of Bill C-13 is important for francophones outside Quebec.

So I think it is very important to finish the debate and proceed as quickly as possible.

[Marc Serré, Liberal, Nickel Belt, ON]

I have a point of order, Mr. Chair. We are talking about amendment LIB-14.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

That's right.

Thank you for your comment, Mr. Beaulieu, but we really need to focus on amendment LIB-14.

Mr. Godin, you have the floor.

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

Mr. Chair, I would like to move a subamendment. I think it's been distributed.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

I'm being told you had to move it first. It has just been sent to everyone.

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

I will read it, but we won't have time to debate it, as I understand we will not be able to extend the meeting.

So I move that the amendment be amended by replacing the words “commitments under subsections (1) to (3) are implemented by the taking of positive measures.” with the following:

positive measures are taken for the implementation of the commitments under subsections (1) to (3).

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

I don't have it in front of me, but my understanding is that the proposed amendment would be inserted after the words “the commitments under subsections (1) to (3)”.

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

Actually, this is at line 30 on page 11 of the bill. Lines 30, 31 and 32 would be replaced with the words “positive measures are taken for the implementation of the commitments under subsections (1) to (3).”.

I may have worded it wrong, but you know that we are in a hurry.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

Mr. Godin, I understand the idea of your subamendment, but as a matter of procedure, a subamendment that eliminates the whole substance of the amendment is inadmissible.

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

No, I'm not eliminating everything, as my subamendment starts after the word “that”.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

Exactly. All that remains is the word “that”, so there is no substance.

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

I've tried, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

I thank you for that, but we will leave it at this. So your subamendment is inadmissible.

Since there are no further comments, we will vote on amendment LIB-14.

(Amendment agreed to: yeas 6; nays 3)

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

We will stop here for today.

The meeting is adjourned.