SoVote

Decentralized Democracy

House Hansard - 57

44th Parl. 1st Sess.
April 25, 2022 11:00AM
  • Apr/25/22 2:28:06 p.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has been chastised by the courts for appointing a unilingual anglophone lieutenant governor in New Brunswick. Not only is that unconstitutional, but it also shows a serious lack of judgment. There is only one bilingual province in Canada, and the PM finds a way to appoint a unilingual anglophone. We are reminded that he also appointed a governor general who did not speak French in an officially bilingual Canada. When will the Prime Minister stop treating proficiency in French as a second-rate skill and francophones as second-class citizens?
95 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
  • Apr/25/22 2:29:18 p.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, it is quite funny. That is the pot calling the kettle black. Last week, the Prime Minister was up in arms about CN appointing a unilingual anglophone board of directors. He said he was flabbergasted and frustrated, but he himself personally appointed a unilingual anglophone lieutenant governor in New Brunswick and a Governor General of Canada who does not speak French. How can the Prime Minister of Canada be surprised that CN is thumbing its nose at French when he personally is sending the message that French is not important?
92 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
  • Apr/25/22 2:40:24 p.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, last week, CN appointed a unilingual English-speaking board of directors. This reminds us of Air Canada, whose CEO boasted that he was a unilingual anglophone and had managed to live in Quebec his whole life without speaking French. It also reminds us that CN and Air Canada have something else in common besides having garnered the contempt of francophones: Both of these companies are federally regulated. Has the minister noticed that there is a climate of hostility towards French at these federally regulated businesses?
87 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
  • Apr/25/22 2:42:52 p.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, let us recap. CN appoints a unilingual anglophone board of directors. The CEO of Air Canada is a unilingual anglophone. The Prime Minister appoints a unilingual anglophone lieutenant governor in New Brunswick. The Prime Minister appoints a governor general who does not speak French. The Prime Minister even considered taking British Colombian francophones to court last month for demanding services in French. It is clear that the federal government is incapable of protecting the French language. Why will it not let Quebec take action with its Charter of the French Language?
93 words
All Topics
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border