LANG Committee Meeting

The Standing Committee on Official Languages met at 8:45 a.m. this day, in Room C-160, 1 Wellington Street, the Chair, the Hon. Michael D. Chong, presiding.

It was agreed, — That the Committee resume the debate of June 23, 2011 on the motion moved by Royal Galipeau, which read as follows:

“That the order of questions for the first round of questioning shall be as follows: Official Opposition, government party, third party, and government party. Questioning during the second round shall alternate between the government members and Opposition members in the following fashion: government party, Official Opposition, government party, Official Opposition, government party, Official Opposition, and government party; based on the principle that each committee member should have a full opportunity to question the witness. If time permits, further rounds shall repeat the pattern of the first two at the discretion of the Chair.”;

and the amendment of Robert Aubin which read as follows:

That the motion be amended by replacing all the words after “That” with the words “the order of questions be as follows: In the first round, the order shall be: New Democrats, Conservatives, Liberals, and New Democrats. In the second round, the order shall be: New Democrats, Conservatives, New Democrats, Conservatives, New Democrats, Conservatives, Liberals, and Conservatives.”.

After debate, the question was put on the amendment of Robert Aubin and it was negatived, by a show of hands: YEAS: 5; NAYS: 6.

The Committee resumed the consideration of the motion of Royal Galipeau

Robert Aubin moved, — That the motion be amended by replacing the words “ Official Opposition, government party, third party, and government party. Questioning during the second round shall alternate between the government members and Opposition members in the following fashion: government party, Official Opposition, government party, Official Opposition, government party, Official Opposition, and government party” with the words “ in the first round, the order shall be: New Democrats, Conservatives, Liberals, and Conservatives. In the second round, the order shall be: New Democrats, Conservatives, New Democrats, Conservatives, and Liberals”.

After debate, the question was put on the amendment of Robert Aubin and it was negatived on the following recorded division: YEAS: Robert Aubin, Mauril Bélanger, Yvon Godin, Dan Harris, Élaine Michaud — 5; NAYS: Royal Galipeau, Jacques Gourde, Guy Lauzon, Costas Menegakis, Bernard Trottier, John Weston — 6.

The Committee resumed the consideration of the motion of Royal Galipeau

After debate, the question was put on the motion and it was agreed to on the following recorded division: YEAS: Royal Galipeau, Jacques Gourde, Guy Lauzon, Costas Menegakis, Bernard Trottier, John Weston — 6; NAYS: Robert Aubin, Mauril Bélanger, Yvon Godin, Dan Harris, Élaine Michaud — 5.

Mauril Bélanger moved, — That the Third Report entitled “Recruitment, Intake and Integration: What Future for Immigration to Official Language Minority Communities?” of the Standing Committee on Official Languages in the third session of the 40th Parliament be adopted again as a report of this Committee, that the Chair do present it to the House, and that, pursuant to Standing Order 109, the Committee request a comprehensive response from the government on the recommendations contained in the report.

Debate arose thereon.

Yvon Godin moved, — That the debate be adjourned.

The question was put on the motion and it was agreed to on the following recorded division: YEAS: Robert Aubin, Mauril Bélanger, Royal Galipeau, Yvon Godin, Jacques Gourde, Dan Harris, Guy Lauzon, Costas Menegakis, Élaine Michaud, Bernard Trottier, John Weston — 11; NAYS: — 0.

Yvon Godin moved, — That the Committee study the tabling of documents regarding Afghanistan in the House of Commons on June 22, 2011, invite witnesses, and report to the House by October 27, 2011.

After debate, the question was put on the motion and it was negatived on the following recorded division: YEAS: Robert Aubin, Mauril Bélanger, Yvon Godin, Dan Harris, Élaine Michaud — 5; NAYS: Royal Galipeau, Jacques Gourde, Guy Lauzon, Costas Menegakis, Bernard Trottier, John Weston — 6.

Mauril Bélanger moved, — That the Committee invite the government, specifically the Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities, to introduce a bill before the end of 2011, regarding the application of the Official Languages Act to Air Canada, its subsidiaries and partners.

The question was put on the motion and it was negatived on the following recorded division:YEAS: Robert Aubin, Mauril Bélanger, Yvon Godin, Dan Harris, Élaine Michaud — 5; NAYS: Royal Galipeau, Jacques Gourde, Guy Lauzon, Costas Menegakis, Bernard Trottier, John Weston — 6.

It was agreed, — That the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure of the Standing Committee on Official Languages meet on Tuesday September 27, 2011.

At 10:25 a.m., the Committee adjourned to the call of the Chair.