The Conservatives still refused to reveal on Friday how they will vote on Bill C-13, which aims to modernize the Official Languages Act, but claim loud and clear that “it’s discord” among the Liberals.
“We have heard of all parties in this House, except the Conservative Party. This is the great mystery. Are they going to support the bill, yes or no? “, sent the Minister of Official Languages, Ginette Petitpas Taylor, during the debate on the third reading of the bill.
The spokesperson for official languages, Joël Godin, was visibly irritated by this second offensive from the government benches.
“What is this relentlessness to know in advance the position of a political party, he launched. I would like to remind the minister that in procedures, votes are a parliamentary right and if we want to respect practices, we vote in the House. […] The Conservative Party of Canada will be present to vote. »
The day before, Mr. Godin had avoided answering a question about whether the Conservative troops decided how they would vote. “That’s a good question,” he said with a laugh. It does not matter. And will it be a free vote? “I won’t answer you,” he added with a smile.
In his Friday speech, Mr. Godin also sent a few arrows, noting notable abstentions during the previous day’s vote on report stage – on which MPs can vote online – including those of the Minister of Justice. , David Lametti, and the Minister of Canadian Heritage and Lieutenant for Quebec “who is the main interested party”, Pablo Rodriguez. The Liberal MP for Mount Royal, Anthony Housefather, was the only parliamentarian to vote against.
Reacting to MP Godin’s remarks, Minister Rodriguez’s office indicated that he is out of the country at his father’s bedside.
Mr. Godin also insisted that the Liberals are responsible for the agenda and that they chose to hold the debate on a Friday, “the day when there is the least speaking time for the members”.
“They don’t want to hear about it,” he said. They want to sweep this under the rug. Of course, they are bickering in the Liberal caucus. »
“Robust Discussions”
During a press scrum, Minister Petitpas Taylor acknowledged lip service that “it’s sure that yes, we had conversations, robust discussions”, but she assures that she feels “very well” the support of members of his caucus.
Could there be dissenting voices in the vote scheduled for Monday? “Indeed, as parliamentarians, we are here to represent our constituents,” said the Minister. This means that the deputies will absolutely choose the vote they will cast. »
The office of the Minister of Justice has cut short rumors that he will vote against the bill. “As you said in your e-mail, Minister Lametti will always vote with the government as a minister,” replied his press secretary, referring tactfully to the principle of ministerial solidarity – which means that the Cabinet votes with the same way – alluded to in the original question.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had been forced to clarify in recent months that his ministers will all have to vote in favor of C-13 after one of them, Montrealer Marc Miller, opened the door to do the opposite. it refers to the Charter of the French language of Quebec.
This reference is still present, but only in the preamble, and Liberals have argued that it should have no legal consequences.
As for Minister Miller, he “supports the position of the government,” his office said on Friday.
Message to English speakers
In the Chamber, Mr.me Petitpas Taylor wanted to reassure Quebec Anglophones that support for French “is in no way a reduction in the commitment” of the government towards them.
“The provisions of C-13 to protect linguistic minorities and minority institutions apply to all official language minority communities in Canada, including English-speaking Quebecers,” she said to ensure the clarity of his message.
Barring any surprises, the bill should pass third reading since it received the support of the Bloc Québécois and the New Democratic Party.
The Bloc does not believe that C-13 is a good bill, insisted their spokesperson for official languages, Mario Beaulieu.
“We say we’re going to support it because we can take things so far at the moment, but there are still a lot of points that remain unsatisfactory,” he explained.
Mr. Beaulieu enumerated the list of requests from the Government of Quebec that have not been met: project management of its linguistic development on its territory, recognition that French is the only official minority language, a truly differentiated approach, that positive measures – whether French or English – go through Quebec.
Notably, the Government of Quebec had reached a compromise with the Liberals at the last minute of clause-by-clause study to amend the bill so that the federal regime would be “equivalent” to that of Quebec with respect to for the use of French in businesses under federal jurisdiction.
All the opposition parties, including the New Democrats, rallied.
The vote on third reading is expected to take place on Monday afternoon. The bill will then make its way to the Senate. The government hopes it will get royal assent by the time the proceedings adjourn for the summer.