Subcommittee on Private Members' Business committee  Yes, that's right, unless they were to move or learn French. They would have to move to a different province.

Subcommittee on Private Members' Business committee  It's the last one, as far as I know. Bill C-266, an act to amend the Criminal Code with regard to increasing parole ineligibility, seeks to amend the Criminal Code so that a person who has been convicted of abducting, sexually assaulting and murdering someone is ineligible for parole for at least 25 and at most 40 years.

Subcommittee on Private Members' Business committee  This is another bill that would raise the same criteria, that bills and motions must not clearly violate the charter. It would be presumably the same provisions of the charter—section 16 and section 20. Bill C-421, an act to amend the Citizenship Act on adequate knowledge of French in Quebec, would amend the Citizenship Act to require that permanent residents who reside in Quebec would, in applying for citizenship, be required to demonstrate an adequate knowledge of French.

Subcommittee on Private Members' Business committee  It would apply to—

Subcommittee on Private Members' Business committee  Yes, they could be permanent residents. Yes. They wouldn't be allowed to apply for citizenship and then ask that their demonstration of competence in language be done in English. When you apply for citizenship, you have to demonstrate competence in a language, and then I also believe you have to demonstrate knowledge of Canadian civics.

Subcommittee on Private Members' Business committee  If I'm correct on that, it would follow the version that is in force.

Subcommittee on Private Members' Business committee  Yes. Putting aside the issue on that first criterion, which is whether it concerns a question that has already been voted on, Mr. Graham flagged another issue for me that he wanted me to discuss. I apologize that I didn't include it in my note. I did consider it. There are some constitutional issues raised by this bill, specifically the portion that is substantially new, the portion about importing the Charter of the French Language into federal law.

Subcommittee on Private Members' Business committee  There is a provision. I don't want to dig up this big book and go through it—

Subcommittee on Private Members' Business committee  Yes...there are some issues around what's referred to as “interdelegation”, but the federal government is entitled to incorporate by reference provincial acts into federal statutes. That is a power that's available in both directions. In some instances, you could even do it with statutes that come from outside of Canada.

Subcommittee on Private Members' Business committee  Thank you. Good. I appreciate it. It was not a recommendation. Thank you for speeding me along. If I am taking time, just wave your hands.

Subcommittee on Private Members' Business committee  Should we move on to...?

Subcommittee on Private Members' Business committee  Bill C-420, an act to amend the Canada Labour Code, the Official Languages Act and the Canada Business Corporations Act, seeks to make three amendments that, from my analysis, I understand to be distinct in terms of subject matter. First, it would amend the Canada Labour Code to prevent employers from hiring replacement workers during a strike.

Subcommittee on Private Members' Business committee  All right. That's one.

Subcommittee on Private Members' Business committee  As always, my analysis is non-binding on you. You can disagree with me as much as you'd like. Ultimately, it's your decision. With Bill C-331, I did not assess there to be an issue on the level of constitutionality, and that's for the reason that Parliament is capable of legislating extraterritorially, outside of its borders.

Subcommittee on Private Members' Business committee  Bill C-419, an act to amend the Bank Act, the Trust and Loan Companies Act, the Insurance Companies Act and the Cooperative Credit Associations Act with regard to credit cards would make a series of amendments to those acts around credit cards. It would, for example, regulate how banks allocate payments across different credit accounts with different interest rates, require that a credit card provider seek express consent before increasing a credit limit, and require that the credit card advertisements include information on fees and rates.