Question Period Note: Part VII of the Official Languages Act – Advancement of English and French

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.

The obligations of federal institutions toward official language minority communities are included in Part VII of the Official Languages Act and have been in force since the Act was modernized.

Part VII of the modernized Act includes additional commitments for the Government of Canada, such as those to protect and promote the French language and to ensure quality life-long learning opportunities in the minority language.

The Treasury Board Secretariat is actively working on regulations that will clarify what is expected of federal institutions when they take concrete measures to support the vitality of official language minority communities. Among other things, this regulation will ensure that these measures do not have a negative impact on these communities, and that if they do, that federal institutions consider mitigating them.

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