THE STANDING SENATE COMMITTEE ON OFFICIAL LANGUAGES

MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS

OTTAWA, Monday, October 30, 2023
(39)

[English]

The Standing Senate Committee on Official Languages met this day at 5:30 p.m., in room B30, Senate of Canada Building, the chair, the Honourable René Cormier, presiding.

Members of the committee present: The Honourable Senators Carignan, P.C., Clement, Cormier, Miville-Dechêne, Moncion and Poirier (6).

Participating in the meeting: Catlin Seibel-Kamél, Legislative Clerk, Committees Directorate; Marie-Ève Hudon, Analyst, Library of Parliament.

Pursuant to the order of reference adopted by the Senate on Tuesday, December 14, 2021, the committee continued its study on the application of the Official Languages Act and of the regulations and directives made under it, within those institutions subject to the Act. (Topic: Annual report 2021-2022)

APPEARING:

The Honourable Randy Boissonnault, P.C., M.P., Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official Languages;

The Honourable Anita Anand, P.C., M.P., President of the Treasury Board.

WITNESSES:

Canadian Heritage:

Isabelle Mondou, Deputy Minister;

Julie Boyer, Assistant Deputy Minister, Official Languages, Heritage and Regions.

Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat:

Carsten Quell, Executive Director, Official Languages Centre of Excellence, Office of the Chief Human Resources Officer.

As an individual:

Pierre Foucher, Retired Professor, Faculty of Law, University of Ottawa (by videoconference).

The Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official Languages and the President of the Treasury Board each made a statement and, together with Julie Boyer, Isabelle Mondou and Carsten Quell, answered questions.

At 6:56 p.m., the committee suspended.

At 7:18 p.m., the senators dispersed due to there being no simultaneous interpretation.

ATTEST:

Karine Déquier

Clerk of the Committee