Question Period Note: The Modernized Official Languages Act and its benefits for French-speaking Canadians

On June 20, 2023, Bill C-13 - An Act to amend the Official Languages Act, to enact the Use of French in Federally Regulated Private Businesses Act and to make related amendments to other Acts received Royal Assent. The modernized Act 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. Recommended response

• The modernized Act recognizes the predominant use of the English language in Canada and North America, and the need to protect and promote the French language across the country, including Quebec.
• The legislative measures adopted and regulations planned as part of the reform of the language regime demonstrate our government's commitment to advancing the equality of status and use of English and French in Canadian society.

• The modernized Act contains provisions to protect and promote French in a number of areas, including the judiciary, science, broadcasting, culture and Canadian diplomacy.

• On June 20, 2023, Bill C-13 - An Act to amend the Official Languages Act, to enact the Use of French in Federally Regulated Private Businesses Act and to make related amendments to other Acts received Royal Assent. The modernized Act 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. To better protect and promote the French language across Canada, the purpose of the modernized Act is to foster progress towards substantive equality of status and use of English and French, and to protect official language minority.
• The modernized Act contains a number of other provisions to protect and promote French in Canada, for example:
o broadcasting: where CBC/Radio-Canada contributes to the protection and promotion of Canada's two official languages, and recognizes the important role of the CRTC and the Broadcasting Act in supporting the production, broadcast and "discoverability" of French-language content on the airwaves and in the digital space;
o culture, by supporting the development and promotion of francophone culture through all Canadian Heritage portfolio organizations involved in supporting culture and media in Canada, such as Telefilm Canada, the National Film Board of Canada, the Canada Council for the Arts, national museums and others;
o Canadian diplomacy, with a commitment to foster the use of English and French in the conduct of Canada's external affairs, and to promote French in Canada's diplomatic relations;
o judicial field, by providing that final decisions of federal courts must simultaneously be made available to the public in both official languages if they have precedential value, and by specifying in the text of the Act that legal obligations relating to official languages apply at all times, including in emergency situations;
o sciences, by specifying that an example of a positive measure taken by federal institutions could be support for the creation and dissemination of information in French that contributes to the advancement of scientific knowledge in any discipline.
o with regard to the private sector, the creation of a new law framing new obligations for federally regulated private businesses in Quebec, and in regions with a strong francophone presence, as well as new rights for their employees and consumers who will henceforth have the right to work within these companies, and to be served in French, by these companies, and ultimately;
o by recognizing the mandate, collaboration and action of the Ministers’ Council on the Canadian Francophonie;
• Other measures benefit French-speaking Canadians, such as:
o strengthened powers and new obligations for Treasury Board, leading to increased compliance for the use of French as a language of communication and service for the Government of Canada, as well as a language of work for Government of Canada employees;
o a continuum of new, more binding powers for the Commissioner of Official Languages, including the power to issue orders and other measures deemed appropriate to remedy violations to Parts IV (Communication with and Service to the Public) and V (Language of Work) of the Act;
o recognition of the importance of giving everyone the opportunity to learn a second official language, and that positive measures by federal institutions may include promoting and supporting the learning of English and French in Canada; and
o recognition of the importance of measures and strategies aimed at youth (language security, language and cultural exchanges, etc.).

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