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Minutes of Proceedings

44th Parliament, 1st Session
Meeting 25
Monday, June 6, 2022, 3:31 p.m. to 5:34 p.m.
Webcast
Presiding
René Arseneault, Chair (Liberal)

Library of Parliament
• Lucie Lecomte, Analyst
• Emilie Lusson, Research Assistant
As an individual
• Michel Doucet, Emeritus Professor, Faculty of Law, Université de Moncton
• Janice Naymark, Lawyer
Quebec Community Groups Network
• Hon. Marlene Jennings, President
• Hon. Joan Fraser, Director, Board of Directors
• Marion Sandilands, Counsel
Pursuant to the order of reference of Monday, May 30, 2022, the committee resumed consideration of Bill C-13, An Act to amend the Official Languages Act, to enact the Use of French in Federally Regulated Private Businesses Act and to make related amendments to other Acts.

Motion

Francis Drouin moved, — That, in relation to the consideration of Bill C-13, An Act to amend the Official Languages Act, to enact the Use of French in Federally Regulated Private Businesses Act and to make related amendments to other Acts,:

  1. the Minister of Official Languages, the Minister of Canadian Heritage, the President of the Treasury Board and the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship be invited to appear;
  2. the Commissioner of Official Languages be invited to appear for a one-hour meeting on Wednesday, June 15, 2022;
  3. the clerk invite witnesses to appear during the meetings on the weeks of June 6, 2022, and June 13, 2022;
  4. amendments to Bill C-13 be submitted to the clerk in both official languages no later than 12:00 p.m. (ET) on Friday, June 17, 2022, or 48 hours before the start of clause-by-clause review of the bill, whichever comes first;
  5. the committee commence clause-by-clause consideration of the bill no later than Monday, June 20, 2022, at 3:30 p.m. (ET);
  6. if the committee has not completed the clause-by-clause consideration of the bill by 5:30 p.m. (ET) on Tuesday, June 21, 2022, all remaining amendments submitted to the committee shall be deemed moved, the Chair shall put the question, forthwith and successively, without further debate on all remaining clauses and proposed amendments, as well as each and every question necessary to dispose of clause-by-clause consideration of the bill, as well as all questions necessary to report the bill to the House and to order the Chair to report the bill to the House as soon as possible;
  7. the clerk of the committee write immediately to each member who is not a member of a caucus represented on the committee and any independent members to inform them of the study of Bill C-13 by the committee and to invite them to prepare and submit any proposed amendments to Bill C-13 which they would suggest that the committee consider during the clause by clause study of the bill; and
  8. as agreed to on Wednesday, June 1, 2022, subject to the approval of the recognized parties’ whips, and the availability of meeting slots from the House of Commons, the committee hold as many additional meetings as possible with the goal of accomplishing a maximum of 15 hours of study prior to the beginning of clause-by-clause consideration of the bill.

Debate arose thereon.

Amendment

Niki Ashton moved, — That the motion be amended by:

  1. deleting subparagraphs d), e), f) and g);
  2. deleting the words “as many”; and
  3. deleting the words “as possible with the goal of accomplishing a maximum of 15 hours of study prior to the beginning of clause-by-clause consideration of the bill”.

Debate arose thereon.

Motion

Joël Godin moved, — That the debate on the amendment be now adjourned.

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

YEAS: Mario Beaulieu, Bernard Généreux, Joël Godin, Jacques Gourde, Richard Lehoux — 5;

NAYS: Niki Ashton, Francis Drouin, Angelo Iacono, Arielle Kayabaga, Marie-France Lalonde, Patricia Lattanzio — 6.

Subamendment

Mario Beaulieu moved, — That the amendment be amended by:

  1. adding the word « starting » after the words « the meeting »; and
  2. deleting subparagraph h) entirely.

Debate arose thereon.

At 4:05 p.m., the sitting was suspended.

At 4:17 p.m., the sitting resumed.

By unanimous consent, the subamendment was withdrawn.

Motion

Patricia Lattanzio moved, — That the debate on the amendment be now adjourned.

RULING BY THE CHAIR

The Chair declared the motion of Patricia Lattanzio inadmissible on the basis that it is the same in substance as one already decided in the same meeting.

The question was put on the amendment of Niki Ashton and it was agreed to on the following recorded division:

YEAS: Niki Ashton, Mario Beaulieu, Bernard Généreux, Joël Godin, Jacques Gourde, Richard Lehoux — 6;

NAYS: Francis Drouin, Angelo Iacono, Arielle Kayabaga, Marie-France Lalonde, Patricia Lattanzio — 5.

The motion, as amended, read as follows:

That, in relation to the consideration of Bill C-13, An Act to amend the Official Languages Act, to enact the Use of French in Federally Regulated Private Businesses Act and to make related amendments to other Acts:

  1. the Minister of Official Languages, the Minister of Canadian Heritage, the President of the Treasury Board and the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship be invited to appear;
  2. the Commissioner of Official Languages be invited to appear for a one-hour meeting on Wednesday, June 15, 2022;
  3. the clerk invite witnesses to appear during the meetings on the weeks of June 6, 2022, and June 13, 2022; and
  4. as agreed to on Wednesday, June 1, 2022, subject to the approval of the recognized parties’ whips, and the availability of meeting slots from the House of Commons, the committee hold additional meetings.
Motion

Joël Godin moved, — That the debate on the motion, as amended, be now adjourned.

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

YEAS: Niki Ashton, Mario Beaulieu, Francis Drouin, Bernard Généreux, Joël Godin, Jacques Gourde, Angelo Iacono, Arielle Kayabaga, Marie-France Lalonde, Patricia Lattanzio, Richard Lehoux — 11;

NAYS: — 0.

Motion

Joël Godin moved, — That, in relation to the consideration of Bill C-13, the committee instruct the clerk and the analyst to draft a letter intended for the premiers of the provinces and territories, in order to invite them to testify and submit any brief providing information for this study.

After debate, the question was put on the motion and it was agreed to.

Marlene Jennings, Joan Fraser, Michel Doucet and Janice Naymark made statements and, with Marion Sandilands, answered questions.

At 5:34 p.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the Chair.



Ariane Gagné-Frégeau
Clerk of the committee