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SJQS Committee Meeting

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MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
Meeting No.14

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 30, 1997

The Special Joint Committee to amend Section 93 of the Constitution Act, 1867 concerning the Quebec school system met at 3:30 p.m., in Room 237-C Centre Block, the Honourable Lucie Pépin and Denis Paradis (Joint Chairs) presiding.

Representing the Senate: The Honourable Senators Gérald A. Beaudoin, Jerahmiel Grafstein, Thérèse Lavoie-Roux, John Lynch-Staunton, Lucie Pépin, Fernand Robichaud and Dalia Wood.

Representing the House of Commons: Reg Alcock, Mauril Bélanger, Denis Coderre (for Gerry Byrne), Antoine Dubé (for Christiane Gagnon), Paul DeVillers, Nick Discepola, Sheila Finestone, Christiane Gagnon, Jocelyne Girard-Bujold (for Réal Ménard), Yvon Godin, Peter Goldring, Jason Kenney (for Rahim Jaffer), Marlene Jennings, Réal Ménard, Val Meredith, Denis Paradis, David Price and Paddy Torsney.

Other Member present: Madeleine Dalphond-Guiral.

In attendance: Laura C. Snowball, Assistant to the Joint Chairs. From the Senate: Charles Robert. From the Research Branch of the Library of Parliament: Mollie Dunsmuir and Daniel Dupras, Research Officers.

Witnesses: From the Government of Quebec: Jacques Brassard, Minister responsible for Canadian Intergovernmental Affairs; Pauline Marois, Minister of Education. From Quebec’s Official Opposition: Jean-Marc Fournier, Member of the National Assembly; François Ouimet, Member of the National Assembly. From the Black Community Resource Centre: Ricardo Gill, President; Sharon Sandford, Member, Board of Directors; Ababebesh Assefa, Executive Director; Vere Rowe, Administrator. From the Quebec Board of Black Educators: Curtis George, President; Garvin Jeffers, Vice-President. From the Ontario Catholic School Trustees Association: Patrick Daly, President; Patrick Slack, Director; Denis Murphy, Director of Catholic Education.

Pursuant to the Orders of Reference adopted by the Senate on October 9, 1997 and by the House of Commons on October 1, 1997, the Committee examined various aspects of the draft resolution concerning the proposed amendment to Section 93 of the Constitution Act, 1867 concerning the Quebec school system.

Jacques Brassard and Pauline Marois made statements and answered questions.

Jean-Marc Fournier and François Ouimet made statements and answered questions.

At 6:30 p.m., the meeting was suspended.

At 7:00 p.m., the meeting was resumed.

Ricardo Gill made a statement and, with the other witnesses from the Black Community Resource Centre and from the Quebec Board of Black Educators, answered questions.

Patrick Daly made a statement and, with the other witnesses from the Ontario Catholic School Trustees, answered questions.

At 8:20 p.m., the Committee adjourned to the call of the Joint Chairs.

 

Martine Bresson and Denis Robert
Joint Clerks of the Committee