Official Languages committee  It is really up to the committee, depending on the witnesses you want to invite.

Official Languages committee  I'd be happy to. The Minister of Canadian Heritage is Ms. Pascale St‑Onge. Authority with respect to official languages, which had been with Minister St‑Onge, were transferred by decree to Minister Boissonnault. That means that all funds administered for official languages or to be used for the promotion of bilingualism, such as the official languages support programs, are now managed and signed by Minister Boissonnault.

Official Languages committee  I don't think I have it with me. Do you have it, Mr. Labelle? I believe it was sent to the committee chair.

Official Languages committee  I'd like to thank the member for his question, Mr. Chair, but I don't feel that I can reply. He's asking for my opinion. We officials come here to present facts.

Official Languages committee  Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. Good morning to the committee members. I'm pleased to be here with you today. I'd like to begin by underscoring the fact that we are meeting today on the unceded territory of the Algonquin Anishinabe people. With me today is Timothée Labelle, the director of intergovernmental policy and programs at the official languages branch of the Department of Canadian Heritage.

Official Languages committee  Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. Good afternoon, committee members. With me today is Sarah Boily, the director general of Official Languages. Thank you for inviting us to appear before you as part of your study on francophone immigration. Francophone immigration is a key component of the Government of Canada's vision for the reform of Canada's language regime, which was made public in February 2021 in the document entitled “English and French: Towards a Substantive Equality of Official Languages in Canada”.

Official Languages committee  Thank you, Mr. Chair. I will let my colleagues, Mr. Fallu, answer that question.

Official Languages committee  Mr. Chair, I yield the floor to Mr. Fallu.

Official Languages committee  Mr. Chair, could the question be repeated?

Official Languages committee  As a public servant, I will not share my personal opinion. If I were in politics I might be able to do that.

Official Languages committee  Exactly.

Official Languages committee  My answer is no, but if you want to ask someone who is neither judge nor jury, we could give the floor to Mr. Newman, who could confirm this for you.

Official Languages committee  I will refrain from sharing a personal opinion because I am really here to provide advice. It is up to the committee and parliamentarians to decide who will play this role: either the Treasury Board implements the Official Languages Act and evaluates itself, or it takes care only of implementing this legislation and Canadian Heritage does the review.

Official Languages committee  Thank you for the question. First, I want to clarify that the Official Languages Act applies to all federal departments and institutions, and that this committee specified that it would be the Treasury Board that would be responsible for implementing the act. Elsewhere in Bill C‑13, as currently drafted, specific roles are given to ministers, such as the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship for example, because of their mandate.

Official Languages committee  I will turn this one over to Mr. Newman.