Official Languages Committee on Nov. 8th, 2023

[Marco Dubé]

Yes, I spoke to the ARRQ. You have to understand that the UDA and the CBC/Radio-Canada's employee unions are two separate things.

[The Vice-Chair, Conservative, Joël Godin]

Thank you, Mr. Dubé.

Thank you, Mr. Lauzon. You went a bit longer than your five minutes, but that was due to my negligence. You took advantage of that, and rightly so.

We will now go to the final round of questions.

We will begin with Mr. Beaulieu, of the Bloc Québécois.

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

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Ms. Tait, on October 13, you admitted that you had made a mistake. You say it was an isolated incident that in no way represented your organizational culture, in which there are no problems.

I suppose that the various examples that I have mentioned to you are all isolated incidents as well.

[Catherine Tait]

You're referring to journalism. The incident we're discussing doesn't fall into that category.

If any journalistic mistakes are made at CBC/Radio-Canada, there is a process that guarantees a response from the ombudsmen. The case we are discussing is something else.

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

What requirements are your journalists required to meet? Do you require that they refrain from conveying prejudices?

[Catherine Tait]

As I said earlier, our journalistic standards and practices are very clear on this subject. Balance and impartiality are central to that. Of course, prejudices and all that—

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

So you think your reporting reflects all points of view regarding Quebec.

[Catherine Tait]

Yes.

[Stéphane Lauzon, Liberal, Argenteuil—La Petite-Nation, QC]

A point of order, Mr. Chair.

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

I know that Liberals don't like that.

[The Vice-Chair, Conservative, Joël Godin]

Go ahead, Mr. Lauzon.

[Stéphane Lauzon, Liberal, Argenteuil—La Petite-Nation, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Once again, I'm going to use that expression, "What's good for Minou is good for Pitou."

We have a very clear and simple motion on the table. However, now we're debating Quebec's entity.

Mr. Chair, we would like you to follow procedure so we can get back to relevant questions.

[The Vice-Chair, Conservative, Joël Godin]

Thank you, Mr. Lauzon.

For your information, Ms. Tait's testimony is partly on the theme of the motion but not completely on that.

I yield the floor to Mr. Beaulieu.

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

A point of order, Mr. Chair.

[The Vice-Chair, Conservative, Joël Godin]

Go ahead, Mr. Beaulieu.

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

It's very clear that we can't be prevented from speaking as long as there's a connection, even a tenuous one, with the subject. Since I believe the connection has been clearly demonstrated, I think these points of order are invalid.

[The Vice-Chair, Conservative, Joël Godin]

Mr. Beaulieu, I will simply ask you to demonstrate the connection with the subject, as you said. I'm going to restart the clock.

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

Generally speaking, do you also employ people who have a Quebec or Acadian accent in your French versions?

[Catherine Tait]

Yes.

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

That's good.

You're assuring us that, generally speaking, nothing of the kind occurs, and you are directing us to the ombudsman if, in other cases, we feel that editorialists or columnists are conveying prejudices—

[Catherine Tait]

I'm going to repeat myself. We have journalistic standards and practices.

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

You have 30 seconds left.

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

You don't think there was any disrespect in the capsule that we're specifically discussing today. People simply didn't want to hear the Quebec accent.

[Catherine Tait]

As I said, it was a mistake, a lack of judgment on the person's part. That's all.

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

All right.