Senator Cormier: I hope the minister will be able to clarify this.

Senator Gold, on April 15, Radio-Canada reported on an unfortunate case where a Canadian’s organ donation was rejected because of his sexual orientation.

According to Health Canada’s rules, men who had a same-sex relationship in the five years prior to a possible donation can’t donate their organs.

In response, Health Canada says it is committed to reviewing the Safety of Human Cells, Tissues and Organs for Transplantation Regulations and to supporting scientifically based, non-discriminatory donation policies in Canada.

Senator Gold, my question is simple: Is the review of these regulations indeed under way?

Hon. René Cormier: My question is for the Government Representative in the Senate.

Senator Gold, the 2SLGBTQI+ action plan states that consultations were to have started in the fall of 2022 on the criminalization of purely cosmetic surgeries on intersex children.

It is now April 2023, and those consultations have not yet begun. The Canadian Bar Association recently sent a letter to the Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth, asking her to complete those consultations by Intersex Awareness Day on October 26, 2023.

Senator Gold, when will the Government of Canada begin these consultations, and can you assure us that they will be completed by October 26, 2023?

Hon. René Cormier Honourable senators, I rise today to speak to the second report of the Standing Senate Committee on Official Languages, entitled Francophone immigration to minority communities: towards a bold, strong and coordinated approach, which was tabled in this chamber on March 30.

As honourable senators know, the Canadian francophonie is currently facing many challenges because of the decline in its demographic weight, as confirmed by the most recent census data from Statistics Canada.

The ubiquity of the English language, the aging population and the declining birth rate are having a disproportionate impact on the survival and promotion of the French fact in Canada.

[English]

It is clear that the future of the Canadian francophonie and the French language depends on our ability to welcome, retain and integrate francophone immigrants into all regions of our vast country. Francophone immigration is a key element in ensuring the development and vitality of francophone minority communities.

Federal, provincial and territorial governments, including municipalities and their community partners, have roles to play in addressing the current demographic deficit that threatens the continuation of a balanced and thriving linguistic duality in Canada.

[Translation]

Recognizing these challenges, and at the request of the Senate, from March 2022 to February 2023, the Standing Senate Committee on Official Languages conducted a major study on the issue.

Our committee held 11 meetings, heard from more than 56 witnesses and received five briefs for its examination of the issues affecting francophone immigration to official language minority communities.

I would like to sincerely thank every member of the committee for their hard work throughout this study, and I want to thank the organizations and individuals who appeared before the committee or submitted briefs.

[English]

This report lists 12 specific and concrete recommendations to the federal government, specifically to the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship.

The committee hopes that these recommendations will serve to inspire the future francophone immigration policy, which is explicitly included in the long-awaited Bill C-13, which aims to modernize the Official Languages Act and to enact the use of French in federally regulated private businesses act.

[Translation]

I won’t go into the details of all the recommendations, but some of them are noteworthy because they aim to maintain a strong, diverse and vibrant francophonie, thereby reinforcing the linguistic duality of our country.

These recommendations include adopting a comprehensive, coordinated and ambitious francophone immigration policy adapted to the needs of the communities, a policy that will address all partners and cover the entire francophone integration pathway.

They also include setting a new target for francophone immigrants settling outside Quebec, a growing target that is adapted to regional realities and based on reliable data, a target that will focus on the remedial character of language rights and on restoring the demographic weight of francophone minority communities.

[English]

These recommendations also call for the development of a francophone diplomatic strategy and that IRCC — Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada — review its recruitment and promotion activities for francophone immigration, whether by increasing the capacity of visa offices in sub-Saharan Africa or by facilitating the reception and resettlement of francophone refugees from member countries of the Francophonie.

They also call for greater awareness of equity, diversity, inclusion and gender equality issues among IRCC and Global Affairs Canada employees.

[Translation]

With respect to governance, these recommendations also call for the creation of an assistant deputy minister position responsible for the francophone immigration file.

Esteemed colleagues, these are a few of the recommendations in this important report, which I invite you to read.

In conclusion, there is one thing that is clear about immigration: All the links in the chain leading to Canadian citizenship are interconnected, and working in silos is detrimental. At every step in the process, from promotion and recruitment to reception, retention and integration, all the way to permanent residency and Canadian citizenship, all partners must work together to ensure the objectives are reached.

That is why the next francophone immigration policy must impose a bold, strong and coordinated approach.

Colleagues, as chair of this committee, I move that:

That the second report of the Standing Senate Committee on Official Languages, entitled Francophone immigration to minority communities: towards a bold, strong and coordinated approach, tabled in the Senate on Thursday, March 30, 2023, be adopted and that, pursuant to rule 12-24(1), the Senate request a complete and detailed response from the government, with the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship being identified as minister responsible for responding to the report, in consultation with the Minister of Official Languages.

Thank you. Meegwetch.

Hon. René Cormier, pursuant to notice of April 25, 2023, moved:

That, notwithstanding the order of the Senate adopted on Tuesday, December 14, 2021, the date for the final report of the Standing Senate Committee on Official Languages in relation to its study on the application of the Official Languages Act be extended from June 15, 2023, to December 31, 2025.