Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I'd like to move a motion. I think everyone has already received it.
I am moving this motion following a recent ONFR article and an investigation by the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages of Canada, which denounced the fact that a public servant at Public Safety Canada was subjected to intimidation after trying to have his language rights respected. In this case, he had requested documents in French. It's completely unacceptable for an employee to be intimidated—or even discriminated against—because they want their rights to be respected.
We are therefore asking for a study of at least two meetings, during which we will invite the Commissioner of Official Languages, the President of the Treasury Board, the Minister of Public Safety, senior officials from Public Safety Canada, the president of the Public Service Alliance of Canada, who has also denounced this situation, and any other witnesses the committee deems necessary.
I think it's really important to do this study, because there have been all kinds of problems related to public safety for decades. Twenty years ago, in a previous life in Montreal, I myself took part in protests when the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada prevented a lawyer from pleading a case in French at the immigration tribunal in Montreal. He was then prohibited from presenting documents in French. After a number of protests, we eventually managed to make our voices heard. That behaviour was a clear violation of the Official Languages Act. That lawyer, with whom we had taken all these steps, told me that he was then able to work in French most of the time, but that it continued to be very difficult for his colleagues.
We have seen the same thing in the RCMP. The situation is really unacceptable: In Quebec, there are no positions for which French is essential. It's hard to imagine what things are like outside of Quebec.
I therefore move this motion, and I assume it will be adopted.