Official Languages Committee on Oct. 9th, 2025

[Louis Villeneuve, Liberal, Brome—Missisquoi, QC]

Please excuse my ignorance: I'm a new MP.

Today, a number of witnesses took part in the meeting online. Was it a choice? Since we don't impose anything on them when we invite them, it's up to them to decide whether they will attend the meeting in person or not.

Did I understand correctly?

[The Clerk]

Yes.

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

Mr. Dalton asked the question I had in mind about headsets, and it was answered.

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

Mr. Chair, I'd like to ask a question, but it's not a formal request.

I want to come back to the unused funds in the overall envelope. Travel projects are taking place in Canada to visit official language minority communities.

Is it the same budget?

[The Clerk]

That's a good question. That money comes from the committee's overall envelope, the amount of which I don't know.

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

I just want to raise awareness around the table. We've had travel plans in the past, but we haven't since I've been here.

[The Clerk]

That's a good question.

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

I'm not on the committee just to travel, but I know that other committees travel internationally and within Canada. They go out in the field to see what's really happening there. It could be a tool for our study. I simply want to say that it's a possibility and to find out if it's the same budget.

[The Chair, Liberal, Yvan Baker]

If there are no further questions or comments, is it the pleasure of the committee to adopt the budget?

(Motion agreed to)

[The Chair, Liberal, Yvan Baker]

We now have a matter to resolve regarding the documents received as part of the study on the continuum of education in the minority language.

Last fall, the committee took the initiative of sending a questionnaire about this study to all minority language school boards across the country. The objective was to gather comparative data to help draft the report. The committee received 14 completed questionnaires and a brief from the Department of Education, Culture and Employment in the Northwest Territories. These documents were translated, but the clerk wasn't able to distribute them before Parliament was prorogued. As I understand it, since the clerk was unable to distribute them before prorogation, these documents aren't considered to have been received as part of our study.

Is it the will of the committee members that these documents be distributed to them and used in the context of this study?

I give the floor to Mr. Beaulieu, who will be followed by Mr. Godin.

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

I agree.

We had also asked that the provincial governments provide us with information on the funding they provide to minority schools and the proportion of students. Have we received that information? If not, could we send them the request again?

[The Clerk]

It's the brief from the Northwest Territories. We sent a letter, and it was the only department that responded to us, the Department of Education, Culture and Employment of the Northwest Territories.

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

Could we make the request to the other provinces?

There are no answers so far.

[The Clerk]

It's at the will of the committee. That's a decision to be made.

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

I agree with using the documents, but I would suggest that we go back to the provincial governments to get the funding amounts.

[The Chair, Liberal, Yvan Baker]

Do we agree with what Mr. Beaulieu is proposing?

Mr. Godin, you have the floor.

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

Are we voting or expressing our intention?

Actually, I have another question about the committee.

Personally, and I think my colleagues in the Conservative Party are comfortable with the proposal to restart the provincial and territorial governments. As my Liberal colleague just mentioned, it doesn't cost anything. We'll see if they want to answer or not.

However, I would like the floor. I want to conclude on what Mr. Beaulieu was saying, and I'll come back to it.

[The Chair, Liberal, Yvan Baker]

Okay.

First, do we accept the documents and can they be circulated?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[The Chair, Liberal, Yvan Baker]

Second, Mr. Beaulieu proposed submitting the request to the provincial and territorial governments again. Do members agree with this proposal?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[The Chair, Liberal, Yvan Baker]

I now give the floor to Mr. Godin.

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

Actually, Mr. Chair, I'd like to know how many school boards there are. You said that 14 responded, so how many haven't?

From a statistical point of view, is it very representative or not? If there are 200 and only 14 responded, that's not a lot. However, if there are 30 school boards, then 14 is a lot.

I'd like to know the proportion in order to put things in perspective.

[The Chair, Liberal, Yvan Baker]

I'll ask the clerk to respond to that.

[The Clerk]

According to my Excel spreadsheet, we've sent 38.

In Quebec, it's the Quebec English School Board. We've actually gone to…. Perhaps Ms. Lecomte could continue.