OLLO – Intelligence Dashboard - Committee & Appearance Overview – February 6, 2023

About The Committee

Mandate

The Standing Senate Committee on Official Languages has the mandate to study all matters relating to official languages generally. It studies matters relating to the application of the Official Languages Act (OLA) and of the regulations and directives made under it.

The committee investigates the respect of Canadians’ language rights and the principle of equality of the two official languages. It examines questions pertaining to the OLA and pays particular attention to the federal government’s role and its commitment to advancing English and French in Canadian society and to enhancing the vitality of the English and French linguistic minority communities.

Studies

The committee began their study on Francophone immigration to minority communities on February 28, 2022 and is expected to submit its final report by March 2023. It is their first study undertaken this session.

Legislation

On March 1, 2022, the government introduced Bill C-13, An Act to amend the Official Languages Act, to enact the Use of French in Federally Regulated Private Businesses Act and to make related amendments to other Acts. 

The Bill is intended to promote substantive equality between French and English, and to take into account the evolution of Canadian society since the initial adoption of the Official Languages Act in order to make it more relevant in the modern context.

Appearance Background

Background

OLLO has invited the Deputy Minister (DM) and the Associate Deputy Ministers (DMAs) of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship to appear regarding Francophone Immigration to Minority Communities on February 6, 2023.

OLLO adopted a motion to begin a Study on Francophone Immigration to minority communities, and plans to table a report by March 31, 2023. The study commenced on March 28, 2022, with Caroline Xavier, Catherine Scott and Marie-Josée Dorion appearing as IRCC officials on May 16, 2022.

The invitation was addressed to the DM and DMAs, however, it is recommended that the following officials appear:

• Christiane Fox, Deputy Minister
• Catherine Scott, Assistant Deputy Minister, Settlement and Integration

Environmental Scan

OLLO is interested in the work being done to attract and retain more Francophones in Canada.

Since the adoption on the motion to begin this study, Bill C-13 was introduced in the House of Commons and is currently at Clause-by-Clause consideration of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Official Languages (LANG). This legislation has already been referred to the OLLO committee, as part of a pre-study of the legislation, which was completed on November 17, 2022.

Key topics and possible lines of questioning surrounding francophone immigration include:

• Bill C-13
• 4.4% target for francophone immigration
• Processing of international francophone students
• IRCC’s processing backlogs
• Labor shortage

Committee Membership

• René Cormier - ISG – (New Brunswick) - Chair
• Jean-Guy Dagenais - CSG (Quebec-Victoria)
• Rose-May Poirier - CPC – (New Brunswick - Saint-Louis-de-Kent) - Deputy Chair
• Marie-Françoise Mégie - ISG (Quebec - Rougemont)
• Bernadette Clement - ISG – (Ontario)
• Pierre J. Dalphond - PSG (Quebec - De Lorimier)
• Raymonde Gagné - Non-affiliated - (Manitoba)
• Percy Mockler - CPC (New Brunswick)
• Lucie Moncion - ISG – (Ontario)

Conservative Party Of Canada

Top Party Issues

The Conservative Party of Canada encourages the government to continue working with the provinces and territories to enhance opportunities for Canadians to learn and use both official languages.

The party has voiced concerns over the allegations of racism and discrimination at IRCC, including against Francophone immigrants, and are particularly focused on the Chinook Tool.

OLLO Members

Rose-May Poirier - (New Brunswick - Saint-Louis-de-Kent) - Deputy Chair

Topics Of Interest

• Protecting and promoting the French language
• Increasing Francophone Immigration to Canada
• Affordability including cost of housing
  • Percy Mockler - (New Brunswick)

Recent Party Activity

Issues raised by CPC Senators:

• May 17 – Debates: Criticized the appointment of a unilingual Governor General and Lieutenant-Governor and the lack of the French language in the government (Poirier).
• Mar 28 – OLLO: Commented on the government not meeting its 4.4% commitment for francophone immigration (Poirier).

Issues raised by CPC MPs in the House:

• May 12 – Debates: Claimed Bill C-13 does not take into consideration the decline of the French language across Canada (Généreux).
• April 6 - Debates: Called for a modernization of the Official Languages Act beyond Bill C-13 to support francophone citizens in minority settings (Goodridge).
• Mar 2 – LANG: Suggested that alleged disparities in francophone student acceptance rates are rooted in racism, probed witnesses on Bill C-13 (Godin).
• Feb 28 – Debates: Characterized the “Liberal immigration system” as racist, pointed to allegations that IRCC uses the term “dirty thirty,” to francophone African student rejection rates and to the Pollara report as evidence (Hallan).
• Feb 7 – Q-315: Chinook Tool rates of acceptance and criteria for acceptance, including official language criteria (Redekopp).

Independent Senators Group

ISG Profile

The Independent Senators Group (ISG) does not function as a conventional political party, Rather, it governs itself through a set of guiding principles, and invites like-minded senators to join under its banner.

The ISG’s purpose is to: share information and expertise, engage in dialogue, take collective action on bills or issues that the ISG as a whole has designated as priorities, and building on their Modernization Agenda, through which they promote changes in Senate rules and practices.

Members of the ISG generally approach issues independently, and without whipped votes (with the exception of agenda items designated as ISG priorities). However, a third party study found that ISG members appointed by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau vote along Liberal party lines over 90% of the time.

OLLO Members

René Cormier (New Brunswick) – Chair

Topics Of Interest

• Official bilingualism
• Increasing Francophone Immigration to Canada
• Affordability including cost of housing
  • Bernadette Clement (Ontario)
  • Lucie Moncion (Ontario)
  • Marie-Françoise Mégie (Quebec - Rougemont)

Recent Group Activity

• Dec 7 –Twitter: Highlighted salary discrepancies between francophone and Anglophone early childhood education workers (Moncion)
• Dec 6 – Debates: Signaled support of Bill C-13, claiming the provision will counteract declining French populations, and increase French immigration (Cormier).
• Dec 2 – Twitter: Highlighted OLLO’s pre-study report on Bill C-13 (Clement)
• Nov 22 – Twitter: Encouraged the modernization of the Official Languages Act concerning Bill C-13 at OLLO (Cormier)
• May 2 – OLLO: Criticized the Chinook system for rejecting francophone students from Africa to study in French post-secondary institutions (Mégie).
• Apr 26 - Debate: Signaled support for francophone international students obtaining PR after their studies (Clement).

Progressive Senators Group

PSG Profile

The Progressive Senators Group (PSG) does not function as a conventional political party, Rather, it governs itself through a set of guiding principles, and invites like-minded senators to join under its banner.

The PSG formed in 2019 as a more progressive, unstructured offshoot of the ISG. The group does not whip votes.

The PSG believes that Canadians share a responsibility to advance the public good, including advancing reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples. They view government as a positive force in advancing the public interest.

The PSG have stated that one of the areas they will give primary consideration to is equality of both official languages.

OLLO Member

Pierre J. Dalphond (Quebec - De Lorimier) - Deputy Leader of the PSG

Topics Of Interest

• Official Bilingualism
• Francophone immigration

Recent Party Activity

• Nov 28 – OLLO: Inquired on the lack of services accessible to francophone immigrants in Saskatchewan (Dalphond).
• Nov 21 – OLLO: Highlighted public criticism on the lack of study permits awarded to African students and the path to permanent residency after graduation (Dalphond).
• May 17 – Twitter: Called for action on meeting francophone immigration targets, appointing francophone workers to upper echelon of civil services, and introduce a bilingual constitution (Dalphond).
• April 4 – OLLO: Criticized the government in not reaching the 4.4% French immigration target, and questioned their current capacity to provide education and services to retain the French language (Dalphond).
• Mar 30 – Twitter: Highlighted his introduction of a motion in the Senate that would call upon the government to introduce a fully bilingual constitution, and report regularly on its status. Asked for this to be part of Bill C-13 (Dalphond).
• Mar 28 –Twitter: Argued that true equality of official languages requires a bilingual constitution (Dalphond).
• Mar 28 – OLLO: Inquired about retention of French-Speaking international students (Dalphond).

Canadian Senators Group

CSG Profile

The Canadian Senators Group (CSG) was founded in November 2019 by 11 senators who share an interest in furthering the modernization and independence of the Senate, while actively representing regional interests in the Senate Chamber and in committees.

CSG members act and vote independently. There is no requirement or expectation for members to agree on all issues or to vote en bloc. Each member will continue to work with all senators on legislation and important issues to Canadians.  

CSG senators are committed to maintaining openness and transparency, engaging in solid research and robust debate, and preserving the highest level of decorum in the Senate Chamber

OLLO Member

Jean-Guy Dagenais (Quebec-Victoria)

Topics Of Interest

• Official languages
• National Security and defense
• Veterans Affairs

Recent Party Activity

• Oct 3 – OLLO: Highlighted the lack of francophone judges outside of Quebec, and for bilingualism of judges to be addressed in Bill C-13 (Dagenais).
• June 20 – OLLO: Commented on the Parliamentary Budget Officer’s statement that Bill C-13 does not contain funding to meet its bilingualism objectives (Dagenais).
• June 13 – OLLO: Commented on the decline of the French language, and questioned the roll of immigration on stopping the erosion of francophone groups (Dagenais).
• June 6 – OLLO: Criticized effectiveness of the federal Department of Immigration on accepting and integrating francophone immigrants (Dagenais)

Non-Affiliated Group

Non-Affiliated Profile

Non-Affiliated Senators are not members of any group or conventional political party.

Non-Affiliated members generally approach issues independently, and without whipped votes

OLLO Member

Raymonde Gagné  (Manitoba)

Topics Of Interest

• Official languages
• Education

Recent Party Activity

• Dec 5 – OLLO: Concerned for the decline of francophone immigrants in provinces with minority communities (Gagné).
• Nov 28 – OLLO: Commented on the government not meeting its 4.4% commitment for francophone immigration (Gagné).
• Nov 21 – OLLO: Commented on the discrepancies of equality between the French and English languages within Bill C-13 and the Official Languages Act (Gagné).
• Oct 27 – Twitter: Highlighted the decline of the French language in immigrants outside of Quebec (Gagné).