Official Languages

This meeting of the Official Languages Committee focused on proposed rules for using French in private businesses regulated by the federal government. The committee heard from two groups: Droits collectifs Québec and the Fédération acadienne de la Nouvelle-Écosse, followed by representatives from WestJet Airlines Ltd. Droits collectifs Québec, represented by Etienne-Alexis Boucher and François Côté, strongly opposed the proposed rules for Quebec. They argued that these rules unnecessarily copy Quebec's existing French Language Charter and are less effective. They believe the federal government is overstepping its bounds and creating problems where none exist, suggesting that Quebec should be removed from the scope of these new rules or that businesses should have to choose to be included, rather than being automatically subject to them. Jules Chiasson and Denise Comeau-Desautels from the Fédération acadienne de la Nouvelle-Écosse welcomed the proposed rules, seeing them as good support for French-speaking communities outside Quebec. However, they raised concerns about how the rules would be applied, especially regarding which areas would be considered to have a strong French presence. They suggested including more cities like Halifax and Chéticamp in Nova Scotia, and using criteria like the presence of French schools or historical communities, rather than just population percentages, to decide where the rules apply. They also asked for financial help for businesses to make these changes. WestJet Airlines, represented by Lyne Chayer and Tristan Joanette, expressed support for the new rules, seeing them as an investment to serve French-speaking customers across Canada. They highlighted efforts they are already making to improve French services, especially after integrating Sunwing Airlines. WestJet asked for flexibility in implementing the rules and noted that finding enough bilingual staff will be a major challenge. They also suggested some technical clarifications for the rules, but generally found the substance of the proposed rules to be similar to Quebec's French Language Charter, making compliance easier if they only have to deal with one federal authority.

This meeting of the Official Languages committee focused on new rules for French use in private businesses regulated by the federal government. The committee heard from two groups: one representing French-speaking communities across Canada, and another representing French-speaking Ontarians. They also heard from the Canadian Bankers Association. The first group, the Fédération des communautés francophones et acadienne du Canada (FCFA), explained that the proposed rules don't cover enough areas or businesses. They suggested using smaller geographical areas to count French speakers and lowering the minimum employee number for businesses to be included. They also recommended reviewing the rules every five years and making sure that once an area is designated as French-speaking, it stays that way. They want the Commissioner of Official Languages to get a list of all businesses covered by the rules to help with enforcement and promotion. The Assemblée de la francophonie de l'Ontario (AFO) agreed with many of these points, especially that the current list of French-speaking regions in Ontario is too small. They emphasized that French-speaking communities exist all over Ontario, not just in a few areas, and that the rules should consider institutions and historical presence, not just statistics. They also stressed the importance of an "active offer" of French services, rather than relying only on complaints. The Canadian Bankers Association (CBA) said that banks already try their best to serve clients in French and that two years is a reasonable time to get ready for the new rules. However, they asked for flexibility in how the rules are applied, especially for smaller banks and in supervising French-speaking employees. Committee members questioned this flexibility, arguing that customers should not have to make appointments to be served in French. A Conservative committee member also tried to introduce a motion to get government documents related to a 2021 expert committee on official languages, but the motion was put on hold by a vote.

The Canadian parliamentary committee on Official Languages met to discuss proposed rules about using French in private businesses that are regulated by the federal government. The committee wanted to understand how these rules would help protect and promote the French language across Canada. They heard from a lawyer and representatives from the Acadian Society of New Brunswick. Gianluca Campofredano, a lawyer, spoke about how the new rules should align with Quebec's language laws to ensure consistency and protect the right to work and be served in French. He emphasized the importance of regulating both internal communications within companies and external communications with the public. Nicole Arseneau-Sluyter, president of the Acadian Society of New Brunswick, highlighted the importance of applying the proposed law throughout New Brunswick, the only officially bilingual province, to support the creation of French-speaking jobs and ensure access to French services. Committee members asked questions about how the proposed rules would affect different regions and communities, especially in New Brunswick. They discussed whether the rules should be broader and apply to more businesses, and how to ensure that people are aware of their rights to use French. There was also discussion about whether the rules were strong enough and if they should include penalties for businesses that don't follow them. The committee is working on making recommendations about the proposed rules. The Acadian Society of New Brunswick recommended that the rules be adopted as they are, but with additional measures to promote the French language. The committee will use the information they gathered to write a report with suggestions for the government.

The Canadian parliamentary committee on Official Languages met to discuss proposed rules about using French in private businesses that are regulated by the federal government. These rules aim to protect the French language, especially in Quebec and other areas with many French speakers. Julie Boyer, Sarah Boily, and Richard Léger from the Department of Canadian Heritage explained the details of the proposed rules and answered questions from committee members. Committee members asked about how the rules would affect businesses and French-speaking communities. They discussed things like the number of employees a business needs to have before the rules apply, and how areas with a strong French-speaking population are defined. Some members were concerned that the rules might not go far enough to protect French, while others wondered if they would create problems for businesses. The witnesses explained that the proposed rules would give French-speaking employees and customers more rights to use French in the workplace and when getting services. They also said that the government would work with businesses to help them follow the new rules. The committee plans to continue studying the proposed rules and may make changes before they are finalized. No specific decisions were made, but the discussion helped clarify how the proposed law would work and what impact it might have.

The House of Commons Standing Committee on Official Languages met to discuss Air Canada's commitment to Canada's official languages. The meeting was prompted by concerns about the former CEO, Michael Rousseau's, lack of French proficiency and a perceived disregard for the French language. Conservative MP Joël Godin introduced a motion to invite the new Air Canada CEO to appear before the committee to assess their commitment to official languages. Liberal MP Louis Villeneuve proposed an amendment, which was supported by Godin, to also invite the Chair of Air Canada's Board of Directors to discuss the company's priorities regarding official languages in the recruitment of the new CEO. Other committee members, including Mario Beaulieu (Bloc Québécois) and Madeleine Chenette (Liberal), emphasized the importance of Air Canada providing services in both English and French. Some, like Jim Bélanger (Conservative), questioned whether the committee was overstepping its mandate by influencing Air Canada's hiring decisions. The committee agreed to the amended motion, which included inviting both the new CEO and the Chair of the Board of Directors to appear before the committee. Finally, the committee agreed to send a letter of congratulations to Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen for speaking French during the Artemis II mission, recognizing it as a historic moment for the French language.

The Canadian parliamentary committee on Official Languages met to discuss language rights issues. The first issue was a public servant at Public Safety Canada who faced problems for requesting documents in French. Mario Beaulieu introduced a motion to study this issue, inviting the Commissioner of Official Languages and officials from Public Safety Canada to speak about it. The committee agreed to hold at least two meetings to investigate. Joël Godin brought up the issue of bilingualism tests for chaplains in Quebec and New Brunswick and wanted to include this in the study. The committee then discussed a statement made by Air Canada's CEO, Michael Rousseau, in English only, following a tragic accident. Committee members felt this was disrespectful to French-speaking Canadians. Louis Villeneuve introduced a motion to invite the CEO to explain his actions and to hear from experts on how to prevent similar situations in the future. Joël Godin proposed adding an hour to the meeting with the CEO to hear from experts on how the government can intervene in such situations. This amendment was supported and added to the motion. Another amendment was made to remove the words “and passengers”. The committee then voted to adopt the amended motion, requiring the Air Canada CEO to appear and discuss the incident. Finally, the committee moved to a private session to work on reports.

The Canadian parliamentary committee on Official Languages met to discuss proposed rules for how the government ensures English and French have equal status. The meeting focused on draft regulations related to Part VII of the Official Languages Act, which aims to support minority language communities and promote both languages across Canada. Witnesses shared concerns that the proposed rules were too vague and didn't clearly define how the government would measure success in achieving these goals. Some worried the regulations focused too much on protecting minority language communities without enough attention to promoting bilingualism throughout Canadian society. Étienne-Alexis Boucher from Droits collectifs Québec expressed disappointment with the regulations, arguing they didn't align with international law or properly support French in Quebec. Derrek Bentley from Canadian Parents for French emphasized the need for the regulations to equally address minority language protection and the promotion of bilingualism, suggesting clearer definitions and support for organizations focused on bilingualism. Stéphanie Chouinard, a professor, echoed these concerns, advocating for clearer objectives, accountability measures, and the use of evidence-based data to assess progress. Committee members questioned the witnesses on specific issues, such as defining "other stakeholders" in the regulations and how to ensure effective consultation with different groups. Witnesses offered suggestions for improving the regulations, including setting measurable objectives, clarifying the roles of different organizations, and ensuring the government is accountable for its actions. The committee will use the feedback to consider revisions to the proposed regulations.

The Canadian parliamentary committee on Official Languages met to discuss regulations related to the equality of status and use of English and French. The committee heard from Antoine Désilets, Managing Director of Société Santé en français, and Rémi Léger, a professor at Simon Fraser University. Both speakers emphasized the importance of strong regulations to ensure the Official Languages Act is effectively implemented, particularly concerning the vitality of Francophone communities. Désilets highlighted the gap between federal-provincial health agreements that recognize equal access for linguistic minorities and the lack of concrete measures to achieve this in practice. He argued that the proposed regulations don't provide federal institutions with the necessary tools to address complex situations, like intergovernmental agreements, and suggested the regulations need clearer definitions of positive measures, community consultations, and mechanisms for measuring progress. Léger criticized the draft regulations for simply repeating the Act's language without providing practical guidance for implementation. He stressed that the regulations should focus on achieving substantive equality between English and French, which he believes is the central goal of the modernized Act. He recommended that the Treasury Board rewrite the regulations to reflect this principle and provide tools for public servants to implement it effectively. Committee members raised concerns about the lack of clarity and enforceability in the draft regulations. They discussed the need for concrete measures, better definitions, and improved consultation processes. The committee also discussed adding Stéphanie Chouinard as a witness. The committee will continue to hear from witnesses at the next meeting.

The Canadian parliamentary committee on Official Languages met to discuss regulations related to the Official Languages Act. The committee heard from two groups: the Alliance des femmes de la francophonie canadienne (AFFC) and the Association des collèges et universités de la francophonie canadienne (ACUFC). The AFFC, represented by Nour Enayeh and Soukaina Boutiyeb, emphasized the importance of considering the specific needs of francophone women within intersectional analyses, arguing that language rights should not be diluted. They want a "language lens" included in gender-based analysis. Martin Normand, representing the ACUFC, expressed concerns that the proposed law could stifle innovation and limit the scope of the Official Languages Act. He suggested that the proposed law was too restrictive and didn't encourage federal groups to take proactive steps to improve the equality of French and English. He also said that the rules for how to do analysis and consultations were not good enough. Committee members questioned the witnesses on their concerns and suggestions for improving the proposed law. Joël Godin asked about specific elements that should be included in the regulations. Guillaume Deschênes-Thériault asked for examples where the current approach has been problematic. Mario Beaulieu asked about defining substantive equality in college and university education. The committee then began debating a motion about a study on the integration and acceptance of 2SLGBTQIA+ communities, but the debate was postponed.

The Canadian parliamentary committee on Official Languages met to discuss proposed rules for the Official Languages Act, specifically how these rules would affect the equality of status and use of official languages. The first panel heard from Sylvia Martin-Laforge, Director General of "Talking. Advocating. Living in Quebec" (TALQ), and Marion Sandilands, a lawyer with the organization. Martin-Laforge expressed support for the proposed rules as a step forward but emphasized that they mainly focus on process rather than achieving measurable outcomes for the English-speaking community in Quebec. She highlighted concerns about how the rules address the unique situation in Quebec, where the federal government must protect both French and the English-speaking minority, and how the Charter of the French Language is considered. She suggested the proposed rules need clearer direction and enforceable obligations to ensure real improvements for minority communities. TALQ had filed a complaint about how an agreement between Canada and Quebec did not seem to follow Part VII of the Official Languages Act. During the second panel, Linda Cardinal, a professor emeritus at the University of Ottawa, argued that the proposed rules need to be reworked to be more relevant and impactful. She criticized them for lacking concrete directions and specific measures to ensure the vitality of official language minorities. Cardinal recommended defining what constitutes a "concrete measure" and using a language-based differential analysis to guide the work of public servants. Geoffroy Krajewski, chair of the Réseau pour le développement de l'alphabétisme et des compétences (RESDAC), and Denis Desgagné, the executive director, focused on lifelong learning for francophone minorities. Krajewski stressed the importance of including references to non-formal and informal learning in the rules and ensuring transparency in agreements between the federal government and the provinces. He also suggested alternative methods for resolving disputes between federal institutions and communities. Committee members questioned the witnesses on various aspects of the proposed rules. Some members expressed concern that the rules did not go far enough in addressing the needs of official language minorities, while others focused on the unique situation in Quebec and the need to protect both French and English. There was discussion about the lack of clear indicators to measure the success of the rules and the need for greater accountability from federal institutions. Witnesses provided recommendations on how to improve the rules, including defining concrete measures, using language-based analysis, and increasing transparency and consultation with minority communities. The committee will continue its review of the proposed rules in future meetings.