Official Languages Committee on Feb. 26th, 2026

[Martin Normand]

Treasury Board doesn't have a funding envelope for communities. Canadian Heritage does. That's why we're referred to Canadian Heritage rather than Treasury Board.

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

Treasury Board should give clear instructions to Canadian Heritage.

[Martin Normand]

You're right, but it's not up to Canadian Heritage to fund all official languages initiatives in the public service.

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

No, Treasury Board had an obligation to require all departments to apply positive measures.

[Martin Normand]

Yes.

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

Agreed.

In your presentation, you said that imposing too many regulations would have a more negative than positive effect. I share your opinion. However, in that case, wouldn’t it be preferable to extend this obligation to all departments?

There is no mention of the obligation to apply it to all departments. That’s true. Wouldn’t it be better to mention it?

If we do that, are we shooting ourselves in the foot? If we overlook a detail, we’ll have to fight to justify it.

[Martin Normand]

Personally, I would say that depending on the scope of the regulation, it already applies to all federal institutions.

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

Yes, it applies, but there was no mention of the obligation for each department to have a language lens.

[The Chair, Liberal, Yvan Baker]

There are 15 seconds remaining.

[Martin Normand]

Putting more emphasis on the obligation to produce data on official languages in all federal institutions might alleviate this concern. All federal institutions are already covered by the regulations. However, they are not equipped to implement it.

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

Okay. Thank you, Mr. Normand.

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, Yvan Baker]

Thank you, Mr. Godin.

I now give the floor to Ms. Mingarelli for five minutes.

[Giovanna Mingarelli, Liberal, Prescott—Russell—Cumberland, ON]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I would like to thank the witnesses for being with us today.

My questions are for Ms. Enayeh and Ms. Boutiyeb.

You have advocated for funding specifically for francophone women’s rights organizations.

Should the regulations include provisions on the allocation of targeted funds?

[Soukaina Boutiyeb]

Certainly, that should be the case.

As I said, the reality for these organizations is that they are currently shouldering the burden of representing French-speaking Canadian women, and some of them have no funding.

I must say that in some provinces, there are no longer any women’s organizations as they have had to close their doors due to a lack of volunteers. There is currently a major crisis within the movement. In addition, there has been a rise in anti-feminism as well as an increase in gender-based violence and femicide. There are many needs, but unfortunately, organizations are not receiving adequate resources.

A positive measure is therefore one that gives adequate priority to women in the Canadian francophonie.

[Nour Enayeh]

Let me give you a very concrete example.

In British Columbia, there is an organization that works with women who are victims of gender-based violence. It’s actually one person working part-time. She covers British Columbia and the Yukon, and she answers a single helpline. For francophone women who are victims of violence in these two places, there is only one part-time person to answer the phone. They’re not even talking about shelters. That gives you an example of the reality on the ground.

[Giovanna Mingarelli, Liberal, Prescott—Russell—Cumberland, ON]

How can we prevent francophone organizations from being disadvantaged in pan-Canadian programs?

[Soukaina Boutiyeb]

A strategy needs to be developed. That is the solution, in our opinion. All departments must develop a strategy targeting linguistic minorities. It should also be noted that women represent more than half of the population, and unfortunately, the services intended for them are among the most poorly designed.

In my opinion, it is important to have a francophone feminist strategy in all departments to ensure that all measures put in place have a positive rather than a negative impact, thereby ensuring the vitality of women in Canada’s francophone communities.

[Giovanna Mingarelli, Liberal, Prescott—Russell—Cumberland, ON]

Thank you very much.

I have finished.

Mr. Chair, I would like to propose reopening the debate adjourned on December 2, 2025, regarding the motion by my colleague Mr. Deschênes‑Thériault concerning the integration and acceptance of francoqueers within the Canadian francophonie.

[The Chair, Liberal, Yvan Baker]

Thank you, Ms. Mingarelli.

I will just consult with the clerk.

Before giving the floor to someone else, I want to clarify something. What Ms. Mingarelli is proposing is a dilatory motion. There will be no debate on the matter, unless you want to clarify something, which is normal. However, I want to warn you that we cannot have a debate.

[Marc Dalton, Conservative, Pitt Meadows—Maple Ridge, BC]

Can we have a minute or two, please?

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

Can we adjourn the meeting?

[Mike Lake, Conservative, Leduc—Wetaskiwin, AB]

I'm sorry, but could we have it repeated?

[The Chair, Liberal, Yvan Baker]

Ms. Mingarelli, could you repeat your motion?

[Giovanna Mingarelli, Liberal, Prescott—Russell—Cumberland, ON]

I would like to move that we reopen the debate adjourned on December 2, 2025, on the motion by my colleague Mr. Deschênes‑Thériault concerning the integration and acceptance of francoqueers within the Canadian francophonie.

[The Chair, Liberal, Yvan Baker]

Therefore, there will be no debate.

Mr. Godin, you have the floor.