Thursday, May 12, 2016

The Standing Senate Committee on Official Languages has the honour to present its

SECOND REPORT

Your committee, which was authorized by the Senate on Wednesday, April 20, 2016, to study the challenges associated with access to French-language schools and French immersion programs in British Columbia, respectfully requests funds for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2017, and requests, for the purpose of such study, that it be empowered to:

(a) engage the services of such counsel, technical, clerical and other personnel as may be necessary;

(b) adjourn from place to place within Canada; and

(c) travel inside Canada.

Pursuant to Chapter 3:06, section 2(1)(c) of the Senate Administrative Rules, the budget submitted to the Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration and the report thereon of that committee are appended to this report.

Respectfully submitted,

................Page Break................

STANDING SENATE COMMITTEE ON OFFICIAL LANGUAGES

Study on the challenges associated with access to French-language schools and French immersion programs in British Columbia

APPLICATION FOR BUDGET AUTHORIZATION FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING MARCH 31, 2017

Extract from the Journals of the Senate of Wednesday, April 20, 2016:

That the Standing Senate Committee on Official Languages be authorized to examine and report on the challenges associated with access to French-language schools and French immersion programs in British Columbia;

That the papers and evidence received and taken, and work accomplished by the committee on its study of best practices for language policies and second-language learning in a context of linguistic duality or plurality during the Second Session of the Forty-first Parliament be referred to the committee; and

That the committee submit its final report to the Senate no later than December 15, 2016, and that the committee retain all powers necessary to publicize its findings for 180 days after the tabling of the final report.

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

................Page Break................

SUMMARY OF BUDGET

The above budget was approved by the Standing Senate Committee on Official Languages on May 2, 2016.

The undersigned or an alternate will be in attendance on the date that this budget is considered.

................Page Break................

APPENDIX (B) TO THE REPORT

Thursday, May 12, 2016

The Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration has examined the budget presented to it by the Standing Senate Committee on Official Languages for the proposed expenditures of the said committee for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2017, for its special study on the challenges associated with access to French-language schools and French immersion programs in British Columbia, as authorized by the Senate on Wednesday, April 20, 2016. The approved budget is as follows:

(includes funds for public hearings and a fact-finding mission; includes funds for 9 senators to travel)

The budgets approved by the Senate for each travel activity are the maximum amount that can be spent for that activity;

Budgets normally include funds for the full membership of the committee to travel;

In general, a reduced delegation actually travels and efforts are made to find additional savings;

Therefore, actual expenditures are expected to be considerably below the approved budget, and they will be reported to the Senate;

................Page Break................

Any surplus funds remaining at the conclusion of a travel activity will be clawed-back and can be made available for allocation to committees for other activities.

Respectfully submitted,