44th Parl. 1st Sess.
April 26, 2023 02:00PM
Mr. Speaker, I have a question for my colleague.
The action plan for official languages was announced today. At the beginning of the announcement, it talks about promoting French in Quebec and ensuring its protection. However, there are no measures for Quebec. There are basically only measures to strengthen English in Quebec. We saw that 20% of the new funding will go toward supporting English in Quebec, when it is French that is endangered.
Can my colleague explain how this squares with the statement that the government is going to protect French in Quebec?
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- Apr/26/23 2:21:56 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, official languages have been a priority for our government since 2015, as evidenced by the record investments we have made. Today, my colleague, the Minister of Official Languages, announced the new action plan for official languages 2023–2028, an unprecedented investment of $4.1 billion to reverse the decline of French and support our official language minority communities through francophone immigration, the educational continuum and support for community organizations.
The voices of those communities were heard, and today we have delivered. I am proud of this plan, which will have a significant impact on the Franco-Ontarian community of Nickel Belt in Greater Sudbury. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the stakeholders across the country who work in community organizations and promote francophone culture, as well as the educational institutions in our communities across the country.
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- Apr/26/23 3:11:56 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, our official language minority communities are facing multiple challenges. As a proud former provincial minister of Acadian affairs and francophonie, I am well aware of what community organizations need in order to address labour shortages, educational requirements, and so much more.
I was pleased to attend this morning's announcement regarding the new action plan for official languages, a road map for the next five years.
Could the Prime Minister tell the House about some of the measures included in the new action plan for official languages?
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- Apr/26/23 3:12:35 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for Halifax West for her question and for her hard work.
This morning we unveiled our new action plan for official languages. It includes historic investments to protect and promote our official languages. With this plan, we are investing over $4 billion in targeted areas such as francophone immigration, the educational continuum and the shortage of bilingual workers.
Unlike the Conservative Party, which wants to cut access to local and French-language news, our government is once again standing up for linguistic minorities across the country.
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Mr. Speaker, I would also like to thank the hon. member for her work on the Standing Committee on Official Languages.
We heard what 6,500 people had to say about the action plan. We went to every province and every territory. We heard their concerns about funding. We responded accordingly. In 2018, we invested an additional $500 million. Today we announced another $1 billion. Organizations will have access to these funds, which will allow them to strengthen official language minority communities across the country.
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Mr. Speaker, the Official Languages Act has been around for a while. The government wanted to modernize it and, when they did, it was because it had failed. The act did not ensure the survival of French throughout Canada, from coast to coast to coast, or ensure that francophone minorities are treated in the same way as the anglophone community in Quebec.
Can my colleague tell me how he reconciles the government's desire to table Bill C‑13 to try to slow the decline of French with its introduction of an action plan that will provide $280 million in funding to the anglophone community in Quebec to ensure its survival, as though English were threatened in Quebec, in Canada and across North America?
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Mr. Speaker, as I just said, we will vote in favour of Bill C-13 because it does make some progress, particularly with regard to federally regulated businesses. It does not meet the demands or Quebec or our demands because, like the Government of Quebec, we are calling for Bill 101 to apply to federally regulated businesses. Such will not be the case. The businesses will get to choose.
However, since several elements of Bill 101 have been incorporated in the Official Languages Act, the minister is hoping that businesses will decide to continue to comply with Bill 101 over the Official Languages Act. We will see what happens when the Official Languages Act is implemented.
Minister Roberge also criticized the fact that all of the money is being spent on the anglophone side to support English and services in English in areas under provincial jurisdiction. I think that an agreement was reached on one thing, but the rest of the Official Languages Act is unacceptable for Quebec. It will merely speed up the English takeover of Quebec. We are going to rally the public so that we are able to amend this legislation for Quebec.
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague and her party for their hard work on the official languages file. She is a proud Franco-Manitoban. We are doing this here for our children as well, like her own twins. This is extremely important for the future of the francophonie in Canada.
What specific immigration measures or language provisions does she believe are important in the bill?
She also referred earlier to the Conservative Leader of the Opposition, who wants to dismantle the CBC. Does she think the Leader of the Opposition should vote for Bill C‑13?
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to acknowledge and thank my colleague for Churchill—Keewatinook Aski. We worked very actively on Bill C‑13, although we did not always see eye to eye.
I heard her say in her speech that she was satisfied with Bill C‑13 and that the central agency, the Treasury Board, would do the work associated with the act as a whole. She talked about language provisions.
I would like her to reassure me. Were these supposed to be the provisions with teeth that would halt the decline of French and protect and promote the two official languages? I have serious doubts about the effectiveness of Bill C‑13.
I would like her to tell us more about the role of the central agency, the Treasury Board.
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Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his question and especially for his work.
With respect to the Treasury Board, we could certainly go much further in that area. I have to say that we have taken steps in the right direction with Bill C‑13.
We know that the government's approach to date has not worked very well. The Treasury Board must play a key role by working with the Minister of Official Languages to implement this bill and protect and defend French properly.
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