Official Languages Committee on Oct. 4th, 2023

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

Yes, thank you.

I'll move on to another question. You know that Bill C‑13 has been passed and we now have legislation.

In what way does the Minister of Immigration currently have a responsibility, an obligation to act, to encourage francophone immigration, among other things, today, October 4?

[Marc Miller, Liberal, Ville-Marie—Le Sud-Ouest—Île-des-Soeurs, QC]

First, we have a duty to co‑ordinate with Quebec with regard to the arrival of French-speaking people in the province to maintain the vitality of the French language. Immigration is an option, but it's also a matter of co‑ordinating respecting areas of jurisdiction, notably those of the Quebec government, as determined in the agreement with which you are very familiar.

Second, outside of Quebec, we have a responsibility—

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

Please excuse me, Minister, but I'm talking about your responsibility as minister with respect to the new legislation that is in effect and received Royal Assent on June 20.

What is your responsibility and what do you have to do right now as Minister of Immigration to enforce the act?

[Marc Miller, Liberal, Ville-Marie—Le Sud-Ouest—Île-des-Soeurs, QC]

Basically, it's about increasing the number of francophones who come to the country, outside Quebec. This is Canada's primary responsibility, which falls within its jurisdiction. In fact, it's enshrined in the act itself.

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

Minister, you know that there is a new section on francophone immigration in Bill C‑13, which now has the force of law.

When are you going to meet the act's immigration obligations?

[Marc Miller, Liberal, Ville-Marie—Le Sud-Ouest—Île-des-Soeurs, QC]

That will happen as early as this year. You'll see what happens in light of the new targets I've asked my department to set. These targets are both ambitious—

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

Was this done at your discretion or because it is a legislative requirement?

[Marc Miller, Liberal, Ville-Marie—Le Sud-Ouest—Île-des-Soeurs, QC]

What the law requires, the law requires—

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

I am asking you: Is that a legislative requirement?

[Marc Miller, Liberal, Ville-Marie—Le Sud-Ouest—Île-des-Soeurs, QC]

The law requires objectives, as you know—

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

We are talking about indicators, objective and targets.

[Marc Miller, Liberal, Ville-Marie—Le Sud-Ouest—Île-des-Soeurs, QC]

Yes, exactly. In addition to what is set out in the legislation, to ensure the vitality of the French language outside of Quebec—

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

I want to stop you there, Minister. Did you know that section 44.1 is not currently in effect?

[Marc Miller, Liberal, Ville-Marie—Le Sud-Ouest—Île-des-Soeurs, QC]

It doesn't matter whether—

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

Did you know that? I'm asking you a question.

[Marc Miller, Liberal, Ville-Marie—Le Sud-Ouest—Île-des-Soeurs, QC]

It doesn't matter. I have that objective and, in light of the new targets and indicators being established, you will see that we have a realistic objective for our work outside Quebec.

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

Do you know when the Canadian government will issue the decree in this regard?

[Marc Miller, Liberal, Ville-Marie—Le Sud-Ouest—Île-des-Soeurs, QC]

No, I don't.

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

Thank you, Minister. I have a few more questions.

Would you agree that, demographically speaking, the proportion of francophones is declining across Canada, including in Quebec?

[Marc Miller, Liberal, Ville-Marie—Le Sud-Ouest—Île-des-Soeurs, QC]

When you consider the number of people who speak French, both inside and outside Quebec, the French language is under threat, with francophones living in an English-speaking sea.

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

Therefore, you agree with my statement.

[Marc Miller, Liberal, Ville-Marie—Le Sud-Ouest—Île-des-Soeurs, QC]

I totally agree that French in North America is under threat.

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

Are you the best person to enforce the Official Languages Act, given your statement that you didn't want to see the Charter of the French Language in the bill?

[Marc Miller, Liberal, Ville-Marie—Le Sud-Ouest—Île-des-Soeurs, QC]

What I wanted to see written into the bill, Mr. Godin, is that the federal government does its work according to its areas of jurisdiction, and that Quebec, obviously, does it within its own area of jurisdiction. We have the same objectives, that is, to ensure the vitality of the French fact, but the primary job of the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship is to promote the French fact outside Quebec, and then to work with Quebec within its jurisdiction. My answer is yes.

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

Thank you, Minister.

With regard to francophone immigration targets, the Fédération des communautés francophones et acadienne, or FCFA, is not comfortable with your position on the targets you've set. According to the FCFA, a target of at least 10% is needed to restore the demographic weight of francophones in Canada.

Do you agree with that statement? Will you put in place the necessary means to reach a target higher than 10%?