A conservative MP apologized after being shut down in committee For having twice insisted that Minister Pascale St-Onge respond in English, a request which caused consternation elected officials and slowed down the work.
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“I recognize that we are a bilingual country, and of course, you can respond in your preferred language, I am just curious to know if you would be ready to speak in English,” launched the flamboyant Rachael Thomas, elected in Alberta, in English. , Thursday morning.
“I will answer in my native language because I have a lot of respect for my colleague’s questions, and I want to be sure that I use the right vocabulary and answer in the right way and be clear in my answer” , retorted the Minister of Heritage in French.
The minister was more brutal on her I am proud to be French-speaking. I am proud to be Quebecois.”
Faced with the proportions that the story took during the day on Thursday, Rachael Thomas sent a message of apology to the president of the Heritage Committee, an apology that she invited to transmit “to the minister and other members of the Committee”.
“I wanted to write to you to apologize for having asked earlier today that, if possible, the Minister of Canadian Heritage answer my questions in English. As you know, Conservatives support official bilingualism, the preservation of the French language in Canada and the right of Canadians to communicate in the language of their choice,” she sent in the note received by the QMI Agency .
It’s going badly
Stung by this unusual request, members of the Liberal Party, but also of the Bloc Québécois and the NDP, came to the defense of the minister, who was invited to the committee to talk about the new agreement between the federal government and Google.
“It’s insulting for Quebecers right now what I’m hearing, for French-speakers,” said Bloc leader Martin Champoux.
Visibly exasperated with Mme Thomas, New Democrat Peter Julian didn’t mince his words either.
“For the Conservatives to question official bilingualism is absolutely reprehensible and I cannot believe how this party has become so radical and extreme since the MP for Carleton [Pierre Poilievre] became chief,” he said.
Breaking through social networks
“Speak white”, “vile”, “ordinary contempt”: faced with a storm of criticism on the social network X, the Conservative Party wanted to set the record straight at the start of the afternoon.
“Conservatives support bilingualism in Canada, the preservation of the French language and the right of Canadians to communicate in the language of their choice – including in the House of Commons,” their spokesperson said.
Mme Thomas had praised the benefits of official bilingualism in 2019. “There are two official languages in Canada and French is one of them. It’s very important to learn it,” she declared in the newspaper The Placoteuxfrom the Kamouraska region, where she was visiting for a French immersion.
Instant interpretation
It should be noted that all parliamentary committee sessions in Ottawa are translated into both languages by interpreters in real time, and you only need to wear a headset to follow the proceedings in the language of your choice.
Interpretation services were established by former Conservative Prime Minister John Diefenbaker in 1959.
At the opening of the session, Pascale St-Onge made part of her statement in English and offered answers in English to her Liberal colleague Lisa Hepfner, which Ms.me Thomas in his comments.