The emotional issue of the decline of French in Canada sparked sparks at a particularly acrimonious meeting of the Official Languages Committee on Thursday, which included members receiving their latest credentials from ministers.
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“It’s the first time in seven years that I’ve been sitting here and seeing how things are developing around the table”: With these words the chairman of the committee, Acadian René Arseneault, describes the scene that is playing out before his eyes .
In a context where French is on the decline across Canada, where Francophones in hospitals in Montreal and French-speaking Ontario are struggling to be served in their language, where the bosses of large Quebec-based companies don’t deign to learn French, members feel Bill C-13 represents the best chance to set things right in generations.
For this reason, the Minister of Heritage and Lieutenant of Quebec, Pablo Rodriguez, was eagerly awaited at this last hearing by the most combative members of the committee, the conservative Joël Godin and the Bloc Québécois Mario Beaulieu.
On the first question, which concerned the Treasury Board’s powers in applying the law, the tone quickly rose between the minister and Mr. Godin and Mr. Rodriguez.
“My question is clear, whether it is relevant to you or not, it is not important, I ask you to answer!” Joël Godin started, gesturing towards Minister Rodriguez. Take it! Take it!”
“You’ve been out of power for a long time, you don’t understand how it works,” Pablo Rodriguez replied to his Conservative counterpart, who wondered “why [le ministre] has that attitude.”
Franco-Ontarian liberal Francis Drouin was forced to intervene. “If you’re having trouble hearing, I suggest MPs use that [oreillettes] because it works very well, he said. It’s a small room here, I have to get earmuffs because it’s screaming pretty loud.
Bloc Québécois Mario Beaulieu demanded explanations for funding organizations defending the rights of Anglophones, some of which he says accuse the Quebec government of being “racist” and “intolerant”.
“Is that your point of view, you have already done so in the House, you have apologized,” Mr Beaulieu said.
“That’s a personal attack, Mr. Beaulieu, I hope you take that back,” Mr. Rodriguez replied. He accused the Bloc member of taking “funny sides”.
“Unlike Mr. Beaulieu, I am convinced that we can strengthen the French fact without attacking the English-speaking minority,” he said. Quebecers, we are not racists.”
Unanswered questions
The palpable frustration was also due to the “generalities” offered by Ministers Rodriguez and Ginette Petitpas Taylor, who are spearheading the reform of the Official Languages Act.
At the end of the entertaining exercise, Ms Petitpas Taylor stated that she was open to amendments, without specifying which ones. Quebec has proposed several, including subjecting companies under federal jurisdiction to Bill 101.
The reform of the official languages, introduced about two years ago, has undergone a significant number of changes after countless consultations and delays.
The Liberal government had hoped to get it over with before the holidays by speeding up the committee’s work, but in the face of a seven-session standoff changed its mind by finding a compromise with the opposition to hear from four ministers.
If all goes according to plan, the most significant official language reform in decades would be passed between February and March.