Proceedings of the Standing Senate Committee on
Official Languages
Issue 2 - Minutes of Proceedings
OTTAWA, Monday May 15, 2006
(2)
[Translation]
The Standing Senate Committee on Official Languages met this day at 4:02 p.m., in camera, in room 256-S, Centre block, the Chairman, the Honourable Maria Chaput, presiding.
Members of the committee present: The Honourable Senators Champagne, P.C., Chaput, Comeau, Downe, Losier- Cool, Plamondon, Robichaud, P.C. and Tardif (8).
In attendance: From the Parliamentary Information and Research Service of the Library of Parliament, Marie-Ève Hudon.
Pursuant to the Order of Reference adopted by the Senate on Thursday, April 27, 2006, the committee is commencing its study, in order to report on it from time to time, on the application of the Official Languages Act and of the regulations and directives made under it, within those institutions subject to the act.
It was agreed that the senators' staff as well as the communications officer assigned to the committee would remain in the room while the committee met in camera.
Pursuant to rule 92(2)(e), the members considered a draft agenda.
The members examined and adopted a work plan for the meetings scheduled until the probable adjournment of the Senate for the summer recess.
It was agreed that the committee would in the near future host a reception to mark the imminent departure of the current Commissioner of Official Languages, Ms. Dyane Adam, and that the steering committee would be entrusted with determining the format and details of the reception.
After debate, it was agreed that the chair would take the necessary steps to have the Senate request a detailed response from the government, in accordance with paragraph 131(2) of the Rules of the Senate, to the report entitled ``French-language Education in a Minority Setting: a Continuum from Early Childhood to the Postsecondary Level'', tabled on June 14, 2005, and adopted by the Senate on July 18, 2005.
At 4:50 p.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the Chair.
ATTEST:
OTTAWA, Monday May 29, 2006
(3)
[Translation]
The Standing Senate Committee on Official Languages met this day at 4:00 p.m. in room 256-S, Centre Block, the Chairman, the Honourable Maria Chaput, presiding.
Members of the committee present: The Honourable Senators Chaput, Comeau, Jaffer, Losier-Cool, Robichaud, P.C., Stratton, Tardif and Trenholme Counsell (8).
In attendance: From the Parliamentary Information and Research Service of the Library of Parliament: Marie-Ève Hudon.
Also attendance: The official reporters of the Senate.
Pursuant to the Order of Reference adopted by the Senate on Thursday, April 27, 2006, the committee resumed consideration, in order to report on it from time to time, of the application of the Official Languages Act and of the regulations and directives made under it, within those institutions subject to the act.
WITNESSES:
Heritage Canada:
Hubert Lussier, Director General, Official Languages Support Programs;
Sheila MacDonald, Associate Director, Interdepartmental Coordination, Official Languages.
Mr. Lussier and Ms. MacDonald both made a statement and then answered questions.
It was moved by the Honourable Senator Comeau:
That the following reference document distributed to the members by the witnesses be filed as an exhibit with the clerk of the committee:
Document from Heritage Canada entitled ``Implementation of Sections 41 and 42 of the Official Languages Act — Federal Strategy to Support Official-Language Minority Communities and Impact of Amendments under S-3'', May 2006. (Exhibit 5900-1.39 O1-SS-1, 2, '1')
The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.
At 5:02 p.m., the committee suspended its sitting.
At 5:10 p.m., the committee resumed its in camera sitting, pursuant to section 92(2)(e), in order to discuss a draft agenda.
It was agreed that senators' staff would remain in the room while the committee met in camera.
At 5:45 p.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the Chair.
ATTEST:
Gaëtane Lemay
Clerk of the Committee