Proceedings of the Standing Senate Committee on
Official Languages

Issue No. 22 - Minutes of Proceedings - Meeting of March 26, 2018

OTTAWA, Monday, March 26, 2018
(52)

[Translation]

The Standing Senate Committee on Official Languages met this day at 5:01 p.m., in room 257, East Block, the chair, the Honourable René Cormier, presiding.

Members of the committee present: The Honourable Senators Cormier, Gagné, Jaffer, Maltais, McIntyre, Mégie, Moncion, Poirier and Smith (9).

In attendance: Marie-Ève Hudon, Analyst, Parliamentary Information and Research Service, Library of Parliament; Gaëtane Lemay, Committee Clerk, Senate Committees 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 to examine and report 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:

Fédération des communautés francophones et acadienne du Canada:

Jean Johnson, Chair;

Alain Dupuis, Executive Director;

Mark Power, Lawyer (Power Law);

Beth James, Strategic Counsel (Power Law).

Alliance des femmes de la francophonie canadienne:

Soukaina Boutiyeb, Executive Director.

Fédération des aînées et aînés francophones du Canada:

Élizabeth Allard, Chair;

Jean-Luc Racine, Director General.

The chair made a statement.

Mr. Johnson made a statement and, together with Mr. Dupuis, Mr. Power and Ms. James, answered questions.

At 6:30 p.m., the committee suspended.

At 6:36 p.m., the committee resumed.

The chair made a statement.

Ms. Boutiyeb and Ms. Allard each made statements and, together with Mr. Racine, answered questions.

At 7:29 p.m., the committee suspended.

At 7:31 p.m., the committee resumed in camera.

Pursuant to rule 12-16(1)(d), the committee reviewed in camera a draft agenda (future business).

At 7:34 p.m., the committee suspended.

At 7:35 p.m., the committee resumed in public.

The committee reviewed a draft agenda for a special study.

The Honourable Senator Gagné moved:

That, notwithstanding the decision on March 26, 2018, the following budget application for the special study on Canadians' views about modernizing the Official Languages Act, for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2019, be approved for submission to the Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration;

ACTIVITY 1: Study — Outaouais and Eastern Townships	$ 51,700
TOTAL	$ 51,700

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

At 7:36 p.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the chair.

ATTEST:

François Michaud
Clerk of the Committee