SoVote

Decentralized Democracy

House Hansard - 185

44th Parl. 1st Sess.
April 26, 2023 02:00PM
Context: House Hansard - 185 - Apr/26/23
Mr. Joël Godin
  • Apr/26/23 4:50:24 p.m.
  • Watch
  • Re: Bill C-13 
Mr. Speaker, I think my colleague and I have the same objective. I had the pleasure of working harmoniously with the Bloc Québécois to advance Bill C‑13 and above all to stop the decline of French and protect it. In the Conservative Party, we have a more Canadian vision, that of protecting English and French in minority communities. Now, what my colleague mentioned is not in Bill C‑13, but in the action plan for official languages, which was announced today. As if by chance, we are debating Bill C‑13 in the House today and the government decides to introduce its action plan. There is a marketing strategy there. What I want to say is that we were not available for the reading of the action plan. There will be a briefing session tomorrow morning at 11 o'clock, and I will be attending. The information I received is that 20% of the funding will be allocated to anglophone minorities in Quebec. The question we must ask is, on what criteria was that percentage based? As my colleague mentioned concerning official languages, the situation of French outside Quebec is different from that of English in Quebec. I have fundamental questions about the percentage. We must not neglect our anglophone friends but there is no denying that additional efforts are needed for francophones outside Quebec.
234 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border