SoVote

Decentralized Democracy

House Hansard - 310

44th Parl. 1st Sess.
May 7, 2024 10:00AM
Context: House Hansard - 310 - May/7/24
Mr. Gord Johns (Courtenay—Alberni, NDP)
  • May/7/24 1:22:51 p.m.
  • Watch
Madam Speaker, I am going to read a quote from Carla Lewis. She is the chair of the First Peoples' Cultural Council in British Columbia. She cites: Generations of oppressive and assimilationist federal and provincial policies have aimed to wipe out First Nations languages. Through dedication and hard work, our people have fought for language rights to keep our languages alive. But many of our languages have few speakers left and most fluent speakers are elderly. Our languages hold our culture, history and ways of being. We can’t over-emphasize the urgency of the situation... She is referring to the fact that last year the FPCC received $43.3 million in federal funding. This year in the budget, it is expected to receive only half of the funding. This is putting language learning at risk, despite the fact that we have seen a 20% increase in the number of people who are learning their language. It is also following the federal Indigenous Languages Act, Bill C-91, which Tla-o-qui-aht—
175 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
Context: House Hansard - 310 - May/7/24
Mr. Yves-François Blanchet (Beloeil—Chambly, BQ)
  • May/7/24 2:25:59 p.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals are having a hard enough time as it is convincing people that they are committed to the French language. I will spare them the trouble of claiming it is part of their culture. At the very least, the Prime Minister should take responsibility for one of his members uttering such a vulgar slur about our national language. Will the Prime Minister at least suggest that the member step down as president of the Canadian branch of the Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie?
88 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
Context: House Hansard - 310 - May/7/24
Right Hon. Justin Trudeau (Prime Minister, Lib.)
  • May/7/24 2:27:55 p.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, Canada is a proud partner of the Francophonie. Unlike the Bloc Québécois, we continually show that we are here to protect the French language across the country. We do not want to isolate Quebec. We recognize that the French language needs support and protection across the country and, yes, at times with too much enthusiasm. We are not trying to pick a fight. We will always be there to defend official language minorities. We will share our leadership everywhere in the world as a proud member of the Francophonie.
95 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
Context: House Hansard - 310 - May/7/24
Hon. Mélanie Joly (Minister of Foreign Affairs, Lib.)
  • May/7/24 2:41:28 p.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, we will not be drawn into a fight about the French language. We in the Liberal government have been clear for a very long time. We will be there to protect the French fact in Quebec and across the country. Not only will we do so here in Canada in the context of our duties as a government, contrary to what the Conservatives will say, but we are also doing this around the world. We can be very proud that the president of the Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie is Canadian. I thank my colleague from Glengarry—Prescott—Russell for his work. Some hon. members: Oh, oh!
113 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
Context: House Hansard - 310 - May/7/24
Ms. Rachel Blaney (North Island—Powell River, NDP)
  • May/7/24 4:51:03 p.m.
  • Watch
Madam Speaker, one thing that I admit I have concerns about in the budget is the lack of funding for first nations languages. We have heard clearly from the First Peoples' Cultural Council that this is a significant concern. For me, I think about the many communities that are working with North Island College in my region to set up classes to teach language. I think about ‘Namgis, which has a facility where they nest young people to learn the language, and Tla'amin, which is doing something very similar. Does the member share my concern around first nations languages in the budget?
104 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
Context: House Hansard - 310 - May/7/24
Mr. Mario Beaulieu (La Pointe-de-l'Île, BQ)
  • May/7/24 5:49:46 p.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, since the Official Languages Act was first enacted, the Canadian government has been saying that it wants to protect the French language in Canada. However, in Quebec, home to 90% of francophones, it has used its official languages legislation to support only English. For two years, the Liberals have been saying that they now want to protect French, even in Quebec. However, we see nothing in the budget on that front. We saw no changes in previous budgets either, or in the action plan for official languages. What does my colleague think about that?
96 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
Context: House Hansard - 310 - May/7/24
Ms. Viviane Lapointe
  • May/7/24 5:50:25 p.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, as a proud Franco-Ontarian, I understand the importance of the French language. This government's dedication to protecting the French language, in Canada, in Quebec and outside Quebec, is very important. We have introduced bills and we continue to work towards achieving that objective.
47 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border