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OGGO Committee Meeting

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Minutes of Proceedings

44th Parliament, 1st Session
Meeting 142
Tuesday, October 1, 2024, 11:03 a.m. to 12:58 p.m.
Webcast
Presiding
Kelly McCauley, Chair (Conservative)

• Luc Berthold (Conservative)
• Joël Godin (Conservative)
Library of Parliament
• Olivier Leblanc-Laurendeau, Analyst
• Ryan van den Berg, Analyst
Department of the Environment
• Marie-Claude Soucy, Director, Grants and Contributions Centre of Expertise
The committee proceeded to the consideration of matters related to committee business.

It was agreed, — That, despite any prior decision, the parties have until Wednesday, October 2, 2024, to submit their list of recommendations for the study on postal service in rural and remote communities and the associated draft report.

Department of the Environment
• Linda Drainville, Assistant Deputy Minister and Chief Financial Officer
• Jean-François Tremblay, Deputy Minister
Pursuant to Standing Order 108(3)c) and the motion adopted by the committee on Thursday, September 19, 2024, the committee commenced its study of federal grants and contributions process.

Jean-François Tremblay made a statement and, with the other witnesses, answered questions.

Julie Vignola gave notice of the following motion:

Given that :

(a) the media reported on Wednesday, September 25, 2024 that the Governor General of Canada, Mary Simon, was still unable to converse in French during a visit to a community organization in Lévis, Quebec, and that she had to cancel certain planned activities during her stay in Quebec for this reason;

(b) the Governor General had made a “firm” commitment to learn French by 2021, when she was appointed, and had again stated to Radio-Canada, in an interview in 2023, that she wished to be able to “speak to Francophones” by the end of 2024,

the committee :

(a) is concerned that the Governor General cannot adequately address Quebec francophones and francophones from francophone communities in other provinces in their mother tongue;

(b) expresses its deep disappointment that after three years since her appointment, the Governor General of Canada is unable to sustain a basic level of conversation in French in the exercise of her title as representative of the Sovereign in Canada, and that she has spoken only in English when French is the only official language in the province of Quebec; and

(c) requests the Chair to report to the House as soon as possible.

Questioning of the witnesses resumed.

At 12:58 p.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the Chair.



Marc-Olivier Girard
Clerk of the committee