Proceedings of the Standing Senate Committee on
Official Languages

Issue No. 14 - Minutes of Proceedings - Meeting of September 22, 2017 (afternoon)

CHARLOTTETOWN, Friday, September 22, 2017
(35)

[Translation]

The Standing Senate Committee on Official Languages met this day at 1:11 p.m., in the Henry Johnson Room, Delta Prince Edward, the chair, the Honourable Claudette Tardif, presiding.

Members of the committee present: The Honourable Senators Cormier, Gagné, Maltais, Mégie, Moncion and Tardif (6).

In attendance: Marie-Ève Hudon, Analyst, Parliamentary Information and Research Services, Library of Parliament; Josianne St-Amour, Graphic Designer, Senate Communications Directorate.

Also present: The official reporters of the Senate.

Pursuant to the order of reference adopted by the Senate on Thursday, April 6, 2017, the committee continued its study on Canadians' views about modernizing the Official Languages Act. (For complete text of the order of reference, see proceedings of the committee, Issue No. 12.)

WITNESSES:

Réseau de développement économique et d'employabilité:

Stéphane Blanchard, Youth Development Officer, Prince Edward Island.

La Coopérative d'intégration francophone de l'ÎPÉ:

Jacinthe Lemire, Director.

Simple Feast Catering:

Jérémie Arsenault, Owner.

Canadian Parents for French:

Thomas Haslam.

French for the Future:

Katie Toole;

Victoria Gibbs.

Fédération de la jeunesse canadienne-française:

Alexis Couture, Past President.

Jeunesse Acadienne et Francophone de l'Île-du-Prince-Édouard:

Jérémie Buote, Deputy Chair.

Fédération des jeunes francophones du Nouveau-Brunswick:

Sue Duguay, President.

Franco-Jeunes de Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador:

Mary-Jane Barter, President;

Gaël Corbineau, Executive Director.

It was agreed that the Senate Communications Directorate staff be authorized to take pictures, to film excerpts during the meeting and to publish them.

The chair made a statement.

Mr. Blanchard and Mr. Arsenault, as well as Ms. Lemire, each made a presentation and answered questions.

At 2:17 p.m., the committee suspended.

At 2:26 p.m., the committee resumed.

Ms. Toole and Ms. Gibbs, as well as Mr. Haslam, each made a presentation and answered questions.

At 3:19 p.m., the committee suspended.

At 3:39 p.m., the committee resumed.

Ms. Duguay and Ms. Barter, as well as Mr. Couture and Mr. Buote, each made a presentation and, together with Mr. Corbineau, answered questions.

At 5:03 p.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the chair.

ATTEST:

Maxime Fortin

Acting Clerk of the Committee