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Decentralized Democracy

House Hansard - 70

44th Parl. 1st Sess.
May 12, 2022 10:00AM
Context: House Hansard - 70 - May/12/22
Mr. Alistair MacGregor (Cowichan—Malahat—Langford, NDP)
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague, the member for St. Albert—Edmonton for championing this bill. It is not often that we see a New Democrat seconding a Conservative PMB, but that speaks to what this bill is all about. I do not really have a question for my colleague, just more of a comment. I want him to reiterate that the concept behind this bill has been studied. Could the member offer his comments about the House doing its job to see this bill through speedily so we could get it before the Governor General to be signed into law, where it so rightfully deserves to be?
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Context: House Hansard - 70 - May/12/22
Ms. Elizabeth May (Saanich—Gulf Islands, GP)
  • May/12/22 9:42:35 p.m.
  • Watch
  • Re: Bill C-13 
Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague. I am surprised by the decision to choose for New Brunswick, an officially bilingual province, a lieutenant governor who does not speak French, when the court already ruled that it is against the law to have a lieutenant governor who cannot speak French. That decision was made and it was final. Is there anything in Bill C‑13 that will change this example?
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Context: House Hansard - 70 - May/12/22
Mr. Alexandre Boulerice
  • May/12/22 9:43:32 p.m.
  • Watch
  • Re: Bill C-13 
Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague for her good question. I do not think that the bill can change the prerogatives of the Prime Minister to choose the governor general or lieutenant governors. However, I think they need to set a very clear framework: The official languages are important. We have to give the act more teeth. Unfortunately, the Prime Minister did not listen and did not follow the philosophy of the act over the past few years. Specifically in the case of New Brunswick, it was truly insulting to the public, the Acadian nation there. We think that is extremely unfortunate. However, I am not sure that Bill C‑13 is the best way to legislate this.
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Context: House Hansard - 70 - May/12/22
Mr. Gérard Deltell
  • May/12/22 10:16:23 p.m.
  • Watch
  • Re: Bill C-13 
Madam Speaker, from our perspective, in order to be taken seriously, one must grant the necessary powers. As far as we are concerned, what matters most is Treasury Board authority, but yes, the Commissioner of Official Languages must have some real muscle. That said, should we be surprised to see this government introduce a bill that is weak with respect to certain demands? After all, this is the Prime Minister who, when looking to appoint someone to the position of governor general, the highest position in the land, when he had 38 million Canadians to choose from, selected someone who does not speak French.
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