Mario Beaulieu moved, — That, pursuant to Standing Order 108(3)(f), the committee undertake a study on the measures that the Government of Canada can take to fulfill its responsibility, as set out in the Speech from the Throne, to protect and promote French not only outside Quebec but also within Quebec; that, as part of this study, the Committee:

(a) provide an objective and detailed portrait of the situation of English and French in Quebec, as well as of francophone and Acadian communities, based on key linguistic indicators, such as French as the mother tongue, main language spoken at home, language shifts, main language of work, and so on;

(b) evaluate the effectiveness of the government’s language policies with respect to the objective of protecting and promoting French as well as the impact of these policies on provincial legislative measures to protect and promote French (particularly the Charter of the French Language in Quebec);

(c) consider possible amendments to the Official Languages Act to harmonize the government’s commitment to protect French with provincial legislation;

that the committee allocate a minimum of seven meetings to this study, and that these meetings be completed no later than March 1, 2021; that the committee report its findings and recommendations to the House, and; that, pursuant to Standing Order 109, the Government table a comprehensive response.

Debate arose thereon.

At 4:02 p.m., the sitting was suspended.

At 4:06 p.m., the sitting resumed.

The question was put on the motion, as amended, and it was agreed to on the following recorded division:

YEAS: René Arseneault, Niki Ashton, Mario Beaulieu, Steven Blaney, Marc Dalton, Terry Duguid, Bernard Généreux, Marie-France Lalonde, Patricia Lattanzio, Soraya Martinez Ferrada, Dan Mazier — 11;

NAYS: — 0.

The motion, as amended, read as follows:

That, pursuant to Standing Order 108(3)(f), the committee undertake a study on the measures that the Government of Canada can take to fulfill its responsibility, as set out in the Speech from the Throne, to protect and promote French not only outside Quebec but also within Quebec; that, as part of this study, the Committee:

(a) provide an objective and detailed portrait of the situation of English and French in Quebec, as well as offrancophone and Acadian communities, based on key linguistic indicators, such as French as the mothertongue, main language spoken at home, language shifts, main language of work, and so on;

(b) evaluate the effectiveness of the government’s language policies, as well as the current role of federal and provincial laws, with respect to the objective of protecting and promoting French as well as the impact of these policies on provincial legislative measures to protect and promote French (particularly the Charter of the French Language in Quebec);

(c) consider possible amendments to the Official Languages Act to harmonize the government’s commitmentto protect French with provincial legislation;

that the committee allocate a minimum of seven meetings to this study, and that these meetings be completed no later than March 1, 2021; that the committee present its findings and recommendations to the House, and; that, pursuant to Standing Order 109, the Government table a comprehensive response.

Steven Blaney moved, — That the committee recommend to the government that it introduce its bill to modernize the Official Languages Act by December 11, 2020, and that the committee report the adoption of this motion to the House.

Debate arose thereon.

The question was put on the motion and it was agreed to on the following recorded division:

YEAS: René Arseneault, Niki Ashton, Mario Beaulieu, Steven Blaney, Marc Dalton, Terry Duguid, Bernard Généreux, Marie-France Lalonde, Patricia Lattanzio, Soraya Martinez Ferrada, Dan Mazier — 11;

NAYS: — 0.

ORDERED — That the Chair present the report to the House