THE STANDING SENATE COMMITTEE ON OFFICIAL LANGUAGES
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
OTTAWA, Monday, April 20, 2026
(17)
[English]
The Standing Senate Committee on Official Languages met this day at 5 p.m., in room B30, Senate of Canada Building, the chair, the Honourable Allister Surette, presiding.
Members of the committee present: The Honourable Senators Cormier, Gerba, Moncion, Patterson and Surette (5).
Participating in the meeting: Marie-Ève Hudon, Analyst, Library of Parliament.
Pursuant to the order of reference adopted by the Senate on Wednesday, October 8, 2025, the committee continued its study on the regulatory framework of Part VII of the Official Languages Act.
WITNESSES:
English Parents Committee Association of Quebec:
Katherine Korakakis, President;
Doug Bentley, Vice President;
Jessica Sabatini, Director.
Quebec English School Boards Association:
Joseph Ortona, President;
Marion Sandilands, Lawyer, Partner of Conway LLP.
Canadian Institute for Research on Linguistic Minorities:
Éric Forgues, Executive Director (by videoconference).
Quebec English-Speaking Communities Research Network:
Lorraine O'Donnell, Senior Research Manager and Affiliate Professor at Concordia University (by videoconference).
Katherine Korakakis, Doug Bentley, Jessica Sabatini and Joseph Ortona made a statement and, together with Marion Sandilands, answered questions.
At 6 p.m., the committee suspended.
At 6:06 p.m., the committee resumed.
Éric Forgues and Lorraine O'Donnell each made a statement and answered questions.
At 7:05 p.m., the committee suspended.
At 7:07 p.m., pursuant to rule 12-16(1)(d), the committee resumed in camera to discuss a draft report.
Pursuant to the order of reference adopted by the Senate on Thursday, September 25, 2025, the committee continued its study on such issues as may arise from time to time relating to official languages generally.
It was agreed that the committee allow the audio recording and/or the transcription of the in camera portion of today’s meeting, that one copy be kept with the clerk of the committee for consultation by committee members and/or their staff, and that the audio recording and/or the transcription be destroyed by the clerk of the committee when authorized to do so by the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure, but no later than at the end of this parliamentary session.
At 7:34 p.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the chair.
ATTEST:
Katy Quinn
Clerk of the Committee