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Decentralized Democracy

House Hansard - 76

44th Parl. 1st Sess.
May 20, 2022 10:00AM
Context: House Hansard - 76 - May/20/22
Ms. Christine Normandin (Saint-Jean, BQ)
  • May/20/22 10:08:04 a.m.
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  • Re: Bill C-13 
Madam Speaker, the previous version of the bill to reform the Official Languages Act was introduced at the end of the previous Parliament by the member for Ahuntsic-Cartierville. We did not really have a chance to debate it since the government had taken almost two years to introduce it. This time, the government introduced the bill and then quickly moved to cut off debate. The government was taken to court in British Columbia for failing to provide British Columbians with services in French, basically violating its own legislation. Then the government appointed a unilingual anglophone lieutenant governor in one of the Atlantic provinces. The government appears to be trying to hide the fact that it is really struggling to enforce the use of French. Is that why the government is once again cutting off debate in an affront to democracy?
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Context: House Hansard - 76 - May/20/22
Mr. Gabriel Ste-Marie (Joliette, BQ)
  • May/20/22 10:23:34 a.m.
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  • Re: Bill C-13 
Madam Speaker, I have a great deal of respect for the Minister of Official Languages. She is very involved and believes in her commitments. However, I sincerely believe that the government appointment of a unilingual anglophone lieutenant governor in New Brunswick, the only bilingual province, sends the wrong message. That message conveys that the government does not care about French in minority situations, including in New Brunswick. The minister says that the government promises never to do this again, but it just did. Furthermore, it is defending the right to do this before the courts. How can she justify that?
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Context: House Hansard - 76 - May/20/22
Mr. Gabriel Ste-Marie (Joliette, BQ)
  • May/20/22 1:38:13 p.m.
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  • Re: Bill C-13 
Madam Speaker, I want to thank my colleague from Portneuf—Jacques‑Cartier for his fine speech. I would like to hear his comments and analysis about the fact that the government chose to appoint a unilingual anglophone lieutenant governor in our country's only bilingual province. New Brunswick subsequently took this matter to court, and the Liberals are going to fight it before a judge. The government says that future lieutenant governors will always be bilingual, and yet it has just appointed an anglophone to the position. When it comes to respect, what message is being sent to the people who speak French in New Brunswick or elsewhere in Canada?
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