THE STANDING SENATE COMMITTEE ON OFFICIAL LANGUAGES
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
OTTAWA, Monday, March 18, 2024
(44)
[English]
The Standing Senate Committee on Official Languages met this day at 5:01 p.m., in room B30, Senate of Canada Building, the chair, the Honourable René Cormier, presiding.
Members of the committee present: The Honourable Senators Clement, Cormier, Dalphond, Mégie, Moncion and Poirier (6).
Participating in the meeting: Catlin Seibel-Kamél, Legislative Clerk, Committees Directorate; Marie Ève Hudon, Analyst, Library of Parliament; Jérémie Spadafora, Communications Officer, Communications, Broadcasting and Publications Directorate.
Pursuant to the order of reference adopted by the Senate on Thursday, March 9, 2023, the committee continued its study of matters relating to minority-language health services.
WITNESSES:
Government of Nova Scotia:
Kim Barro, Chief, Performance and Partnership, Department of Health and Wellness (by videoconference).
Government of Alberta:
Kim Simmonds, Assistant Deputy Minister, Strategic Planning and Performance, Alberta Health (by videoconference).
Kim Barro and Kim Simmonds each made a statement and answered questions.
At 5:56 p.m., the committee suspended.
At 5:57 p.m., pursuant to rule 12-16(1)(d), the committee resumed in camera to discuss a draft agenda (future business).
It was agreed that senators’ staff be permitted to remain in the room during the in camera portion of the meeting.
At 6:02 p.m., the committee suspended.
At 6:06 p.m., the committee resumed in public.
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.
WITNESSES:
Shaila Anwar, Clerk Assistant, Committees Directorate;
Maxime Fortin, Principal Clerk, Committees Directorate.
Public Services and Procurement Canada:
Jean-François Lymburner, Chief Executive Officer, Translation Bureau;
Matthew Ball, Vice-President, Services to Parliament and Interpretation, Translation Bureau;
Annie Trépanier, Vice-President, Policy and Corporate Services, Translation Bureau.
Shaila Anwar and Maxime Fortin made a statement together and answered questions.
Jean-François Lymburner made a statement and, together with Matthew Ball and Annie Trépanier, answered questions.
At 7 p.m., the committee suspended.
At 7:06 p.m., the committee resumed.
Pursuant to the order of reference adopted by the Senate on Thursday, March 9, 2023, the committee continued its study of matters relating to minority-language health services.
WITNESSES:
Government of the Northwest Territories:
Jo-Anne Cecchetto, Deputy Minister, Department of Health and Social Services (by videoconference).
Government of Nunavut:
The Honourable John Main, MLA, Minister of Health.
Government of Yukon:
The Honourable John Streicker, MLA, Minister responsible for the French Language Services Directorate (by videoconference).
John Main, John Streicker and Jo-Anne Cecchetto each made a statement and answered questions.
At 8:01 p.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the chair.
ATTEST:
Karine Déquier
Clerk of the Committee