Question Period Notes
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The Act for the Substantive Equality of Canada’s Official Languages Act (abbreviated title), includes, among other things, a strengthening of the Commissioner of Official Languages’ powers, such as the ability to impose administrative monetary penalties to certain privatized entities or Crown corporations currently subject to the Official Languages Act and which provides services to the travelling public.
Close collaboration is exercised to ensure governance and whole-of-government coordination of the implementation of the Official Languages Act (Act) between Canadian Heritage and Treasury Board (TB). The Act for the Substantive Equality of Canada’s Official Languages provides for significant adjustments that include, among other things, to entrust the role of government-wide coordination of the Act and its good governance to the President of TB, while the Minister of Canadian Heritage (or the designated Minister responsible for Official Languages) leads the development and implementation of a government-wide official languages strategy, in consultation with the TB President.
On June 20, 2023, Bill C-13 - An Act for the Substantive Equality of Canada's Official Languages received Royal Assent. This Act modernises the Official Languages Act (OLA) and makes significant improvements to Part VII.
On June 20, 2023, the Act for the Substantive Equality of Canada’s Official Languages (short title of Bill C-13) received Royal Assent. Among other things, the Act provides for new legislation to establish new rights to work and obtain services in French in some federally regulated private businesses in Quebec and in regions with a strong Francophone presence to be defined. The Use of French in Federally Regulated Private Businesses Act, will come into force by Order-in-Council.
The Official Languages Act, modernized in June 2023, contains a series of provisions that benefit French-speaking Canadians. Notably, it recognizes the predominant use of the English language in Canada and North America, and therefore the need to protect and promote the French language.
An article published on November 27, 2023, reports the Bloc Québécois official languages critic suggesting that the federal government has invested $2 billion to support English in Quebec since 1995, despite the decline of French in that province and in the country.
The modernized Official Languages Act includes new provisions to support Quebec's English-speaking communities. In addition, the Action Plan for Official Languages 2023-2028 provides funding for new initiatives targeted at these communities.
On October 24, 2024, the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, the Honourable Marc Miller, announced the Immigration Levels Plan 2025-2027, which calls for a reduction in immigration levels while strengthening and promoting the economic prosperity of Francophone communities outside Quebec.
On April 18, 2024, the Standing Committee on Official Languages tabled its report on Optimizing Francophone Immigration to Canada, in which it recommended that the Government of Canada permanently increase funding to French-language post-secondary institutions in minority situations so that they can continue to offer programs of study and services to students.
Negotiations are underway to finalize the next Protocol for Agreements for Minority-Language Education and Second-Language Instruction 2024-2025 to 2027-2028 between the governments of Canada and the provinces and territories. The next Protocol will be the multilateral framework from which bilateral agreements will be negotiated with each of the provinces and territories.