Question Period Note: Official Languages in the Public Service and the Implementation of the Official Languages Act

Following the modernization the Official Languages Act in 2023, what is the President of the Treasury Board doing to support official languages in Canada?

• I am committed to ensuring that the Official Languages Act is implemented and respected across all federal institutions.
• TBS has launched several initiatives to support departments’ compliance with their obligations, including the Official Language Training Framework, which offers flexible, learner- focused training.
• Efforts are also under way to review all federal points of service, which may lead to an increase in the number of bilingual offices.
• On a personal note, I look forward to improving my ability to more regularly work in both official languages, providing a model for other Canadians to follow.

Following the modernization of the Official Languages Act (OLA) in 2023, the Treasury Board remains responsible for developing and coordinating federal policies and programs related to:
• Communications with and services to the public (Part IV)
• Language of work in federal institutions (Part V)
• Participation of English-speaking and French-speaking Canadians in the federal public service (Part VI)

In addition, the modernized OLA has given:
• to the President of the TB the responsibility of assuming an overall leadership role in the implementation, coordination and good governance of the OLA;
• to federal institutions under Part VII of the OLA the responsibility to take positive measures within their respective mandates to
a) advance the vitality of official language minority communities,
b) protect and promote French, and
c) support lifelong learning in the minority language
and work to advancing these objectives through language clauses in agreements negotiated with the provinces and territories.
• to TB the authority to develop regulations on Part VII, in consultation with the Minister of Canadian Heritage, to further specify the obligations of federal institutions relating to positive measures, including language clauses in FPT agreements;
• to TB, a strengthened monitoring, compliance and evaluation role with regard to how federal institutions are meeting their official languages responsibilities;
• to the Minister of Canadian Heritage, the role of developing a government-wide official languages strategy, in consultation with the President of the Treasury Board, and of conducting a ten-year review of the Act and its application.

Legislative changes related to official languages in the public service
• The modernized OLA includes a new right for all employees occupying a position in a designated bilingual regions to be supervised in the official language of their choice, regardless of the linguistic designation of their position.

Administrative changes affecting official languages in the public service
• A new Language Training Framework for the public service with a focus on efficient language training options that meets the needs of a variety of learners was launched in 2024. The Framework includes guidelines on second language training.
• The Directive on Official Languages for People Management was amended in 2024 to raise to a superior level (CBC) the minimum second language proficiency requirements for new appointments to bilingual positions responsible for the supervision of employees occupying positions in bilingual regions, effective June 2025.

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