Official Languages Committee on May 9th, 2024

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

Welcome to part 2 of meeting number 99 of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Official Languages.

Before we begin, I would like to remind all members and other in-person participants of the following important preventive measures.

To prevent disruptive and potentially harmful audio feedback incidents that could cause injuries to our interpreters, in particular, we remind all in-person participants to keep their earpieces away from all microphones at all times.

As indicated in the communiqué that the Speaker sent to all members on Monday, April 29, the following measures have been taken to assist in preventing audio feedback incidents.

All earpieces have been replaced by black earpieces. These are the only earpieces that may be used. By default, all unused earpieces will be unplugged at the start of a meeting. When you are not using your earpiece, please place it face down, in the middle of the round sticker that you see in front of you on the table, where indicated. Please consult the cards on the table for guidelines to prevent audio feedback incidents. The layout in the room, as you have noticed, has been adapted to keep the microphones further apart and reduce the risk of audio feedback.

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

I want to thank all of you for your co-operation.

Just a reminder, I began the meeting by welcoming you to the second part of meeting number 99 because the meeting that we suspended last week will continue today. Our proceedings were suspended on Thursday, May 9 during debate on a motion. As you will remember, it was Mr. Godin's motion. Mr. Généreux moved an amendment, to which Mr. Beaulieu moved a subamendment. In short, that is what we are debating.

Furthermore, as you know, I requested that we resume this meeting outside the hours of Parliament, which isn't sitting this week, since five members of the committee, including members of the Conservative Party and the Bloc Québécois, had requested that we invite the Minister of Official Languages to appear before the committee as part of our study on federal funding of minority-language post-secondary institutions to respond to the conduct of the member forGlengarry—Prescott—Russell and for any other issue associated with his duties as Minister of Official Languages.

I am telling you all this because the committee may not consider two motions at the same time. We suspended the meeting and are now meeting pursuant to Standing Order 106(4) in order to table a motion.

Before giving Mr. Généreux the floor, I will complete my remarks by saying that our Standing Orders clearly prohibit us from doing both at the same time. It's one or the other.

With the committee's consent, we could adjourn debate on the motion that was interrupted on May 9 and discuss the issue raised pursuant to Standing Order 106(4). That was my introduction. I would ask you please to speak into the microphones one at a time. Let's avoid talking over each other.

Mr. Généreux, since you are first on the list, the floor is yours.

[Bernard Généreux, Conservative, Montmagny—L'Islet—Kamouraska—Rivière-du-Loup, QC]

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.

I would like to introduce a dilatory motion: That the committee proceed to the discussion of the matter raised by the letter of Friday, May 10, 2024 sent pursuant to Standing Order 106(4).

As far as I know, when a dilatory motion is introduced, it must be voted on immediately.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

That's exactly what I was checking.

However, before doing anything, I'm going to give the floor to Mr. Beaulieu, who wants to add something.

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

Mr. Chair, I would like some information. The meeting was suspended.

Would you please remind me which committee members had speaking rights at that time?

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

They were, in order, Mr. Serré, Mr. Drouin, Mr. Beaulieu, Ms. Ashton and Mr. Godin.

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

Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

Mr. Généreux has just tabled a motion. That cuts short what I was about to tell you.

Do we have the committee's consent to Mr. Généreux's motion that we immediately address the matter raised pursuant to Standing Order 106(4)? That would mean that we adjourn debate.

[Marc Serré, Liberal, Nickel Belt, ON]

Mr. Chair, we can't introduce a new motion.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

This is a dilatory motion.

[Marc Serré, Liberal, Nickel Belt, ON]

No.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

Yes, it is.

We immediately go to a vote in the case of a dilatory motion. The motion is that we adjourn debate and turn to the matter raised pursuant to Standing Order 106(4).

[Marc Serré, Liberal, Nickel Belt, ON]

Mr. Chair, if my understanding is correct, we're going to adjourn debate.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

Yes.

Is that in fact what you're moving, Mr. Généreux?

[Bernard Généreux, Conservative, Montmagny—L'Islet—Kamouraska—Rivière-du-Loup, QC]

We're going to consider the letter dated Friday, May 10, 2024 and the request made therein pursuant to Standing Order 106(4). In order to do that, we will adjourn debate.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

Mr. Beaulieu, go ahead.

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

If my understanding is correct, we're going to adjourn debate, address the request made pursuant to Standing Order 106(4) and then come back to what we were doing today. Is that correct?

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

Yes. If a member so requests, we can do it, until noon.

A vote has been requested, but I believe we have consent around the table. Perhaps I can expedite matters.

Is anyone opposed? I see that everyone agrees. Then we have decided unanimously to adjourn debate and to take up the request made pursuant to Standing Order 106(4).

Who has the floor?

[Marc Serré, Liberal, Nickel Belt, ON]

Mr. Chair, Mr. Godin wrote the letter concerning Standing Order 106(4). Is he here today?

[Bernard Généreux, Conservative, Montmagny—L'Islet—Kamouraska—Rivière-du-Loup, QC]

He'll be here in a few minutes. He's been delayed.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

Listen, everyone. I would prefer not to have to repeat this.

We are all adults. Three weeks ago, we received a communiqué concerning injuries that are caused during committee meetings by people speaking at the same time and more than one microphone being unmuted at a time. Please raise your hand. I see you on the screen. I also have the help of the clerk. I see what's going on around the table.

Mr. Beaulieu, go ahead.

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

We think it's important to have Mr. Boissonnault appear once again since he couldn't testify on this matter at the last meeting. However, since he has been quite involved in the debate, it would be appropriate for us to be able to ask him questions about it.

For the moment, he has offered awkward comparisons based on anecdotes, not statistics. It's important that we be able to meet with him again and that he come and testify once again before the committee.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

The next speaker on my list is Ms. Lalonde, who will be followed by Ms. Goodridge.

Go ahead, Ms. Lalonde.

[Marie-France Lalonde, Liberal, Orléans, ON]

I'm trying to understand where we stand. Has a motion been introduced? I understand what Mr. Beaulieu said, but I don't know what we're talking about. I understand that we're meeting here and are considering a request made pursuant to Standing Order 106(4). Some members are attending the meeting in person and have made considerable efforts to get here on time. Others are attending virtually. My problem is that I've received nothing.

Mr. Beaulieu, do you have the written text of the motion indicating the subject we're going to discuss today?

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

In response to your question, the chair has received absolutely nothing about this.

We will continue with Ms. Goodridge, who will be followed by Mr. Beaulieu.

Go ahead, Ms. Goodridge.

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

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I wanted to say that I wasn't able to do the sound test before the meeting because I had some serious technical issues.

However, I hope everything's working well.