Proceedings of the Standing Senate Committee on
Official Languages

Issue 11 - Minutes of Proceedings - Meeting of March 9, 2015

OTTAWA, Monday, March 9, 2015
(32)

[Translation]

The Standing Senate Committee on Official Languages met this day, at 5:02 p.m., in room 9, Victoria Building, the chair, the Honourable Claudette Tardif, presiding.

Members of the committee present: The Honourable Senators Charette-Poulin, Fortin-Duplessis, Maltais, McIntyre, Poirier, Seidman and Tardif (7).

In attendance: Marie-Ève Hudon, Analyst, Parliamentary Information and Research Service, Library of Parliament; Francine Pressault, Communications Officer, Senate Communications Directorate.

Also present: The official reporters of the Senate.

Pursuant to the order of reference adopted by the Senate on Thursday, November 21, 2013, the committee continued its study of best practices for language policies and second-language learning in a context of linguistic duality or plurality. (For complete text of the order of reference, see proceedings of the committee, Issue No.4.)

WITNESSES:

As individuals:

Jim Murphy, E-Teacher, French as a Second Language, Centre for Distance Learning and Innovation
(by video conference);

Lesley Doell, French Language Consultant, French Language Resource Centre.

Canadian Association of Immersion Teachers:

Chantal Bourbonnais, Executive Director.

As individuals:

Claude Germain, Associate Professor, Université du Québec à Montréal (by video conference);

Stephanie Arnott, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Education, University of Ottawa.

Norman Moyer.

Mr. Murphy and Ms. Doell made statements and, together with Ms. Bourbonnais, answered questions.

At 5:59 p.m., the committee suspended.

At 6:04 p.m., the committee resumed.

Mr. Germain, Ms. Arnott and Mr. Moyer made statements and answered questions.

The committee considered a draft budget application for its special study on second-language learning for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2016.

The Honourable Senator Fortin-Duplessis moved:

That the following special study budget application on second-language learning for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2016, be approved, for submission to the Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration.

Activity: Finland and Switzerland $ 166,872

Total $ 166,872

The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.

The Honourable Senator Fortin-Duplessis moved:

That the additional comments from Justin Morrow, President of Canadian Youth for French, be filed as an exhibit with the clerk of the committee (Exhibit 5900-41.2/O1-SS-3, 11 "1").

The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.

At 7:07 p.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the chair.

ATTEST:

Daniel Charbonneau

Clerk of the Committee