Official Languages Committee on Oct. 30th, 2023

[Larry Brock, Conservative, Brantford—Brant, ON]

Mr. Chair, I have a point of order. Again, you are denying me my privileges in terms of asking a full question. The question was not fully asked of the witness. The Liberals are shutting me down again, and now the chair is shutting me down again.

Is that what you're saying, Chair?

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

Mr. Brock, to put it as politely as possible, if you think I am doing that in my capacity as chair, I do not want to prevent you from thinking that, but it is not at all my intention.

I respect and accept the points of order I have heard, about the right to ask questions that relate to today's study, which you are not doing. I gave you a chance to convince us that it was what you were doing, but once again I have seen that this was not the case.

[Larry Brock, Conservative, Brantford—Brant, ON]

I have to be allowed to ask the question before I can convince anybody of the relevancy by which I'm asking the question. I'm repeatedly being denied by the Liberal bench, and now the chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

You are free to think that, Mr. Brock. I am telling you that you are wrong, but if you want to think it, I can't do anything about it.

[Larry Brock, Conservative, Brantford—Brant, ON]

Can I ask the question, Chair?

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

I will permit you to ask a question that relates to today's study. Go ahead, I am listening.

Wait a minute, Ms. Kayabaga has a point of order.

[Arielle Kayabaga, Liberal, London West, ON]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I want us to get back to the study that our Bloc Québécois colleague requested. It is his study and these are his guests. We are at the Standing Committee on Official Languages. If someone wants to have discussions about ethics, they can do that at the committee that deals with ethics.

Today is the first time there has been this much excitement at the committee. We are here to talk about bilingualism in the RCMP, and that is what we want to do. We do not want to waste the time of our guests who are here today. We have questions to ask them and we do not want them to leave before we have a chance to do that. Our communities want us to ask these questions. We have educational institutions full of students, here in La Cité collégiale, and in Regina, that want to know how they can join the RCMP.

Mr. Chair, we therefore want to get back to the study that Mr. Beaulieu proposed and ask his guests our questions. We want to finish this study today.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

Thank you, Ms. Kayabaga.

Mr. Beaulieu, you have the floor.

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

First, before rejecting what a member is saying, I think we have to give the person speaking a bit more time. Maybe he is going to bring what he is saying back around to the subject of official languages and give examples. What is preventing us from moving ahead is really the fact that one person after another is filibustering.

Second, I would like this period to be extended by ten or 15 minutes.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

There are witnesses waiting on the other side of the door for the second hour of the meeting.

Mr. Godin, you have the floor.

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

I have two things to say, Mr. Chair.

To answer my colleague, I understand that there are witnesses outside, but the filibustering by the Liberals at present means that we are being stifled. What Ms. Kayabaga said is right on point. I think we have to proceed. If there had been no obstruction, we would have moved on to another witness and the Liberals would have had the floor.

Mr. Chair, I am asking you to permit our colleague to ask his question. You will then determine whether it is relevant. If not, you will take away his right to speak and we will do what needs to be done at that time. There are parliamentary rights, and I think that is important.

The least that can be done is to let him speak. He is explaining why he is here. He is not a usual member of this committee. He experienced something in the past and he is expressing it. It is quite simply legitimate, in my opinion, to let him speak so that he can ask his question with a question mark at the end.

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

[Darrell Samson, Liberal, Sackville—Preston—Chezzetcook, NS]

I have a point of order.

I would ask that the clerk read his question, because he asked it. He said several words about the Commissioner, and then he asked: "Is that correct?" If we read the last 15 words my colleague spoke, we see that the question was asked. I would therefore like the clerk to repeat it, to confirm that I am right.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

Before I give Mr. Brock the floor, I would like to be sure I understand what you are asking, Mr. Samson. Do you want the clerk to read the question that Mr. Brock asked, or the motion?

[Darrell Samson, Liberal, Sackville—Preston—Chezzetcook, NS]

I am talking about the question. He asked a question. My colleague opposite said he was not given the time to ask his question, but he asked one, and it had nothing to do with official languages.

Go and listen to the question.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

We do not have that information at our fingertips. We will probably be able to verify the question later in the transcript.

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

Mr. Chair, I would also add that...

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

Wait a minute, Mr. Godin. Mr. Brock had the floor before you.

[Larry Brock, Conservative, Brantford—Brant, ON]

Thank you, Chair, again.

I have questions related to official languages, but no member of this committee—particularly the Liberals and the NDP—can suggest how I have to frame my questions or whether or not I can ask questions in sequential order.

There is a connection by which I'm trying to have the opportunity of questioning the RCMP commissioner, because the SNC corporation, a Quebec-based corporation, is very much concerned about official languages. If you recall, Chair, not too long ago, the CEO of SNC-Lavalin cancelled a Montreal speech after the Canadian boss at the time refused to speak in the French language.

You acknowledge that, and I have a right to question the commissioner with respect to the corporation.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

Absolutely.

Mr. Iacono, you have a point of order, so you have the floor.

[Angelo Iacono, Liberal, Alfred-Pellan, QC]

We are at the Standing Committee on Official Languages and the subject of the study relates to languages and bilingualism, not to criminal charges. I see no connections to be made and no similarity between languages and criminal charges. I do not understand.

If we want to hold a debate about languages or bilingualism, let's stick to that subject. If we want to debate criminal charges, I do not think this is the right committee to do that.

Could we get that straight, please?

[Laila Goodridge, Conservative, Fort McMurray—Cold Lake, AB]

Mr....

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

Yes. Thank you, Mr. Iacono.

Before I give Ms. Goodridge the floor, we have a decision to make about the witnesses we called for the second hour, who are here.

I'll come back to you, Mrs. Goodridge. Hold on just a second.

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

May I finish my point of order?

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

I am listening, Mr. Beaulieu.

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

I just want to say that we can take until 1:30, so there is nothing to prevent us, if there is unanimous consent, from extending the meeting by 15 minutes to let Mr. Brock speak. Normally, if his remarks have a connection with the subject being studied, he has the right to ask his questions.