Proceedings of the Standing Senate Committee on
Official Languages

Issue No. 32 - Minutes of Proceedings - Meeting of November 5, 2018

OTTAWA, Monday, November 5, 2018
(69)

[Translation]

The Standing Senate Committee on Official Languages met this day at 5:04 p.m., in room 257, East Block, the chair, the Honourable René Cormier, presiding.

Members of the committee present: The Honourable Senators Cormier, Gagné, Maltais, McIntyre, Mégie, Moncion, Poirier and Smith (8).

In attendance: Marie-Ève Hudon, Analyst, Parliamentary Information and Research Service, Library of Parliament; and Stéphanie Pépin, Legislative Clerk, Committees Directorate.

Also in attendance: 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 examination 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:

Quebec Community Groups Network:

The Honourable Marlene Jennings, P.C., Co-Chair, Access to Justice Committee (by video conference);

Bruce McNiven, Co-Chair, Access to Justice Committee (by video conference).

As an individual:

Stéphane Beaulac, Professor, Faculty of Law and Director, National Observatory on Language Rights, Université de Montréal.

The chair made an opening statement.

The Honourable Senator Maltais moved:

That the members of the Standing Committee on Official Languages dissociate themselves from Denise Bombardier's remarks on Radio-Canada, denying the existence of 2.7 million Canadian francophones outside Quebec.

The question being put on the motion, it was carried unanimously.

Ms. Jennings and Mr. McNiven made statements and answered questions.

At 5:25 p.m., the deputy chair took the chair.

At 6 p.m., the committee suspended.

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

Mr. Beaulac made a statement and answered questions.

At 6:49 p.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the chair.

ATTEST:

François Michaud
Clerk of the Committee