Proceedings of the Standing Senate Committee on
Official Languages
Issue No. 6 - Minutes of Proceedings - Meeting of October 5, 2016
VANCOUVER, Wednesday, October 5, 2016
(15)
[English]
The Standing Senate Committee on Official Languages met this day at 7:59 a.m., in Salons 10-20, Morris J. Wosk Centre For Dialogue, the chair, the Honourable Claudette Tardif, presiding.
Members of the committee present: The Honourable Senators Gagné, Jaffer, Maltais, McIntyre and Tardif (5).
In attendance: Marie-Ève Hudon, Analyst, Parliamentary Information and Research Services, Library of Parliament; Mireille Sylvester, Communications Officer, Senate Communications Directorate.
Also present: The official reporters of the Senate.
Pursuant to the order of reference adopted by the Senate on Wednesday, April 20, 2016, the committee continued its study on the challenges associated with access to French-language schools and French immersion programs in British Columbia. (For complete text of the order of reference, see proceedings of the committee, Issue No. 4.)
WITNESSES:
Conseil scolaire francophone de la Colombie-Britannique:
Bertrand Dupain, Superintendent;
Sylvain Allison, Secretary-Treasurer;
Johanne Asselin, Director, école Anne-Hébert;
Michel Tardif, School District 93 Chapter President, Principal of La Passerelle (Whistler) and La Vallée (Pemberton) schools.
Association provinciale des professeurs d'immersion et du programme francophone de la Colombie-Britannique:
Sophie Bergeron, President.
BC Francophone Teachers' Union (Local 93):
Sylvie Liechtele, President.
BC Teachers' Federation:
Teri Mooring, First Vice-President.
BC Association of Teachers of Modern Languages:
Trish Kolber, French Teacher Representative.
BC Francophone Parents Federation:
Marie-Pierre Lavoie, President;
Marie-Andrée Asselin, Executive Director.
Canadian Parents for French:
Cendra Beaton, President, Sooke District Chapter;
Mary-Em Waddington, President, Surrey Chapter.
The chair made a statement.
Mr. Dupain and Mr. Allison made statements and, together with Ms. Asselin and Mr. Tardif, answered questions.
At 9:12 a.m., the committee suspended.
At 9:26 a.m., the committee resumed.
The chair made a statement.
Ms. Bergeron, Ms. Liechtele, Ms. Mooring and Ms. Kolber made statements and answered questions.
At 10:39 a.m., the committee suspended.
At 10:52 a.m., the committee resumed.
The chair made a statement.
Ms. Lavoie, Ms. Beaton and Ms. Waddington made statements and, together with Ms. Asselin, answered questions.
At 12:01 p.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the chair.
ATTEST:
Kevin Pittman
Clerk of the Committee