Canadian Heritage committee  Thank you very much, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, distinguished committee members and colleagues, thank you for inviting me to appear as part of your study of Bill C-91. As you mentioned, I am accompanied by Hélène Laurendeau, Deputy Minister of Canadian Heritage. I thought I was

Canadian Heritage committee  Thank you very much, Mr. Breton. I think I have your three questions straight in my mind. You are right that this bill is close to my heart. Here is why. Today, I am speaking French and English, but neither of them is my mother tongue. My first language is Spanish. I learned Fre

Canadian Heritage committee  Thank you, Mr. Breton. Before we even began to develop the bill, we met to define the process. That was a key factor. The co-development process was not determined by the government alone, it was determined as we worked in partnership with the Métis, the Inuit and the First Nati

Canadian Heritage committee  Thank you for that important question, Mr. Blaney. The process took a little longer because we wanted to do it in co-development. Ms. Joly, my predecessor, or I could have sat down at the end of a table in the wonderful office of the Minister of Canadian Heritage and drafted a b

Canadian Heritage committee  There is a consensus around the bill. The Inuit would like other elements added to the bill. That’s where there is not a consensus. However, they were included in the discussions from the outset. The entire co-development process includes the Inuit 100%. They would like the bill

Canadian Heritage committee  I really hope you do.

Canadian Heritage committee  Yes. As I have said from the outside, this is a baseline, but it is a very solid baseline that can be amended as the committee deems fit. However, the baseline is taking us somewhere. It responds to the Commission’s Calls to Action numbers 13, 14 and 15. It moves forward on the U

Canadian Heritage committee  We will see about that as the discussions continue. Clearly, the quicker the bill is passed, the quicker you will have a specific answer to your question. As you know, specific amounts of money are not mentioned in bills.

Canadian Heritage committee  That is another program. You are right in saying that a program is underway. It involves $90 million over three years to revitalize indigenous languages. That is while we are waiting. The legislative measures we are talking about here, however, go much further and will have trans

Canadian Heritage committee  There will be additional amounts, but the bill first has to be passed and discussions have to continue. The bill actually gives us no choice. It tells us in writing that we have to provide stable, adequate, sustainable and long-term funding. Clearly, there will be additional fun

Canadian Heritage committee  That is how bills are made. It is very rare for a bill to specify precisely the costs involved. There are mechanisms. In addition, you asked me if I was open to the idea of amending the bill. If I say yes and we pass an amendment, what will that amendment represent financially?

Canadian Heritage committee  Yes, it comes with obligations, and that's what we want.

Canadian Heritage committee  We can do this because there's a will to change things and because there's a will to have a good bill. I think we're starting with a good bill. Is it perfect? No. Can we improve it? Probably. However, it is based on consultations that took place over two years across the country

Canadian Heritage committee  In that case, it would imply negotiation with the provinces, but what is done with the funding will be decided by the indigenous leaders, by the groups, by the different representatives. We are not the ones who are going to decide how you do it.

Canadian Heritage committee  It's in collaboration with them.