OLLO — Committee & Appearance Overview – May 16, 2022

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.

Background

On February 10, 2022, the committee adopted a motion moved by Senator Cormier (ISG), to examine and report on the Francophone immigration to minority communities based on the national Francophone Immigration Strategy.

The Standing Senate Committee on Official Languages (OLLO) has invited the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship to appear before committee on Francophone Immigration to Minority Communities on April 25, 2022 (subject to change based on the Minister’s availability).

The following officials will accompany the Minister for the first hour, and remain for the second hour to continue addressing committee questions:

• Caroline Xavier, Associate Deputy Minister
• Catherine Scott, Assistant Deputy Minister, Settlement and Integration
• Marie-Josee Dorion, Director General, Operations Planning and Performance Branch

Environmental Scan

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

The House Committee on Official Languages began a similar study on February 28, 2022 on Francophone Immigration to Canada and Quebec.

Key topics of interest in both Chambers have been:

• francophone immigration for minority community survival and vitality,
• impact of immigration levels increase on Quebec's ability to maintain its demographic weight,
• increasing francophone immigration outside Quebec, acceptance rates of Francophone international students, particularly those from French-speaking Africa,
• IRCC’s ability to meet the 4.4% target on Francophone immigration, IRCC’s processing backlogs, and
• Quebec acceptance and refusal rates, in comparison to outside of Quebec.

Committee Membership

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

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

Recent Party Activity

• Mar 28 – OLLO: Commented on the government not meeting its 4.4% commitment for francophone immigration (Poirier).
• 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 IRCC use the term “dirty thirty,” to francophone African student rejection rates and to the Pollara report as evidence (Hallan).
• Feb 17 – CIMM: Claimed there was an “undertone” of racism and discrimination at IRCC, pointed to francophone student acceptance rates as evidence (Hallan).
• Feb 11 – Statements by Members: Inquired about federal government support for Campus Saint-Jean, noting the campus is the only “French language post-secondary institution west of Winnipeg” (Goodridge).
• Feb 8 – Debate: Called on the Prime Minister to apologize for Minister Sean Fraser’s unilingual press conference (Carignan).
• Feb 7 – Q-315: Chinook Tool rates of acceptance and criteria for acceptance, including official language criteria (Redekopp).

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)

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 Justine Trudeau vote along Liberal party lines over 90% of the time.

Recent Group Activity

• May 2 – Twitter: Highlighted an exchange at OLLO on francophone international students being denied permanent residency after their studies (Moncion).
• Apr 26 - Debate: Signaled support for francophone international students obtaining PR after their studies (Clement).
• Mar 31 – OLLO: Questioned witnesses on the francophone immigration provisions in Bill C-13 (Moncion).
• Mar 23 – Twitter: Highlighted a recent committee intervention in which the senator criticized Bill C-13 for its lack of centralized power (Moncion).
• Mar 22 – Senator’s Statements: Listed the following priroities for Bill C-13 through a statement: more French education opportunities, more services offered in French, reducing linguistic tension between OL speakers (Cormier).
• Mar 1 – Twitter: Welcomed the introduction of Bill  C-13, describing the Bill as long-awaited (Cormier).

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)

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.

Recent Party Activity

• 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).

OLLO Member

• Pierre J. Dalphond (Quebec - De Lorimier)
  • Deputy Leader of the PSG
  • Topics Of Interest
    • Official Bilingualism
    • Francophone immigration