Mr. David Lewis (York South):

Mr. Speaker, in the absence of the Secretary of State who is supposed to be here I should like to direct this question to the right hon. Prime Minister. If I may say so, I think the Prime Minister and other members know I have supported the official languages bill and the bilingualism policy without any hesitation. In view of that I should like to ask the Prime Minister whether there was any discussion and consideration of what happened here on July 1 in Ottawa, and was it deliberately decided to have the affair here in Ottawa conducted mostly or almost entirely in one official language rather than in both?

Right Hon. P. E. Trudeau (Prime Minister):

Mr. Speaker, this was not discussed outside of the department before the event. Since July 1, however, our own members from Ottawa West and Grenville-Carleton have raised this-

I bet they have.

Mr. Bell:

It is a little late for that.

Where is Pelletier?

Oh, oh!

Mr. Trudeau:

I see that hon. members are not interested in a serious answer.

Yes, we are.

Mr. Alexander:

Please continue.

Mr. Trudeau:

I have discussed this with the minister who is in Montreal today at a meeting scheduled long ago with the film industry where he intends discussing policies of the government in respect of that industry. I am prepared to say on behalf of the government that it is unfortunate when an event of a national character does not reflect the realities of this country.

Hear, hear!

It sure is.

Mr. Trudeau:

The report I have of the manner of presentation of the program on Saturday night here on the Hill is that it did fall into this category and did not reflect the national character of this country. I feel this is very regrettable and I do want to offer an apology on behalf of the government. I hope the situation will not repeat itself, and we have taken steps to ensure that it will not.

Hear, hear!

Mr. Lewis:

Mr. Speaker, I asked the question with the hope that the Prime Minister would give the answer he has given, and all of us are grateful to him for it. May I simply ask this supplementary question. In view of the fact this kind of thoughtless act by the department is harmful to Canada and the official languages idea and to bilingualism, the idea which the Prime Minister and many of us support, would the Prime Minister tell the Secretary of State here publicly that this kind of behaviour must not again be repeated in this country?

Some bon. Members: Hear, hear!

Mr. Steven E. Paproski (Edmonton Centre):

Mr. Speaker, my supplementary is for the Prime Minister. Can the Prime Minister say why the Canadian Folk Arts Council was not consulted on the July 1 program as it has been for the past four or five years, with the result that there was no participation by that group representing the many ethnic communities? If you will keep that member over there quiet, perhaps the Prime Minister would be able to hear me.

Mr. Trudeau:

Of course I cannot say why such and such a group was not consulted. I do know that the Department of the Secretary of State, which is responsible for a series of manifestations in and around the Hill between the end of June and the end of July, has taken in as many groups as possible. They could not all be involved within one night but if the hon. member looks at the over-all presentation I am sure he will find that many groups have been involved and, indeed, that the language balance has been, over-all, respected. In some cases in the past I think there has been a tendency on occasions of national importance to forget that the French language exists. I think this was very regrettable, and if the contrary happened on Saturday night I think it is equally regrettable.

July 4, 1972