Official Languages Committee on May 9th, 2024

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

I call the meeting to order.

Welcome to meeting number 99—we could call it the Gretzky meeting—of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Official Languages.

Pursuant to Standing Order 108(3) and the motion adopted by the committee on Wednesday, September 20, 2023, the committee is resuming its study on federal funding for minority-language post-secondary institutions.

I will take the time to share with you the measures to prevent audio feedback incidents, following the latest recommendations.

Before we begin, I'd like to remind all the MPs and other participants in the room of the following important preventative measures.

In order to prevent disruptive and potentially dangerous audio feedback incidents that could cause injury to interpreters, I would like to remind all participants to always keep their earpieces away from microphones.

As indicated in the communiqué sent by the Speaker to all MPs on Monday, April 29, 2024, the following measures have been taken to help prevent audio feedback incidents.

All earpieces have been replaced with a model that significantly reduces the likelihood of an audio feedback incident. The new approved earpieces are black, while the old earpieces were grey. Please use only the black earpieces.

At the start of a meeting, all unused earpieces are unplugged. As you can see, the wire is not plugged into the microphone in front of you. When you are not using your earpiece, please place it face down in the middle of the sticker affixed to the table, as shown in the image on the table.

Please also refer to the card on the table for guidelines on preventing audio feedback incidents.

Finally, the room layout has been modified, as you can see, to increase the distance between microphones and reduce the risk of feedback caused by a nearby earpiece.

These measures are in place so that we can carry out our activities without interruption and to protect the health and safety of all participants, including interpreters.

I thank you all for your co-operation.

With that, I'd now like to welcome the Honourable Randy Boissonnault, Member of Parliament for Edmonton Centre and Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official Languages.

I would also like to welcome the accompanying team from the Department of Canadian Heritage: Ms. Isabelle Mondou, deputy minister; Ms. Julie Boyer, assistant deputy minister, Official Languages, Heritage and Regions; and Mr. Timothée Labelle, director, Intergovernmental Policy and Programs. While Ms. Mondou and Ms. Boyer are committee regulars, this is Mr. Labelle's first appearance at our committee.

Witnesses have five minutes to make their opening remarks. Then we'll move on to the question and answer period.

Before we begin, I believe Mr. Drouin would like to speak.

[Francis Drouin, Liberal, Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON]

On a point of order, Mr. Chair. At the last meeting, I withdrew my words, but I would like to—

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

That is not a point of order, Mr. Chair.

[Francis Drouin, Liberal, Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON]

I would like to—

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

No, that's not a point of order, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

Wait a moment, please.

[Francis Drouin, Liberal, Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON]

May I finish my point of order, Mr. Chair? Afterwards, we can listen to what others have to say.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

Yes. You have the floor, Mr. Drouin.

[Francis Drouin, Liberal, Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON]

I just want to apologize to Mr. Lacroix and Mr. Bourdon—

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

This is not a point of order, Mr. Chair.

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

He can submit it when it's his turn to speak.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

Wait a moment, gentlemen. Only one person at a time should be speaking. At the moment, there are three open microphones. If you count mine, that makes four.

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

Mr. Chair, you recognized Mr. Drouin first.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

Yes. I'll let Mr. Drouin finish his thought, and I'll decide afterwards.

Mr. Drouin, you have the floor.

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

No. Mr. Chair, I apologize, but—

[Francis Drouin, Liberal, Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON]

I just want to present my—

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

Mr. Chair—

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

Mr. Godin, please turn off your microphone.

We will listen to the end of Mr. Drouin's point of order.

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

No, he already made it, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

I didn't hear the end of his point of order.

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

He was in the process of apologizing, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

Please turn off your microphones.

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

I'm not the one turning it on, Mr. Chair; I'm not touching it.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

I would ask that the microphones of those who do not have the floor be turned off.

Everyone will have the floor in turn. I have carefully taken down the names of those who wish to speak.

Mr. Drouin, you have the floor.

[Francis Drouin, Liberal, Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON]

Any witness who comes before this committee should feel free to have a conversation in a respectful environment. What I did on Monday was not conducive to that. That's why I apologize once again to Mr. Bourdon and Mr. Lacroix.

Thank you.