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

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

• I am taking concrete steps to ensure that the Official Languages Act is respected across all federal institutions.
• In December, I announced that 733 federal offices will be newly designated as bilingual. This raises the proportion of bilingual offices across Canada from 34% to 40%.
• That same month, I tabled draft regulations under Part 7 of the Act to better support minority language communities, promote the French language, and strengthen opportunities for learning in the minority language.
If pressed on Language Rights of Public Servants:
• Respecting language rights in the public service is non‑negotiable. This is why we are strengthening the use of official languages in the workplace.
• All employees in bilingual regions now have the right to be supervised in the official language of their choice, and we have raised second language proficiency requirements for supervisory roles.
If pressed on Air Canada:
• As President of the Treasury Board, I am responsible for setting government‑wide policies and accountability frameworks and overseeing their implementation across federal institutions.
• While Air Canada is not a federal institution, it is still subject to the Official Languages Act.
• Language rights are not optional, and we fully expect Air Canada to comply with all its obligations under the Act, including providing services and a work environment that respect both official languages.

Following the 2023 modernization of the Official Languages Act (OLA), the Treasury Board (TB) 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:
• assigns the President of TB an overall leadership role in the implementation, coordination and good governance of the Act;
• strengthens the TB’s role in monitoring, auditing and evaluating federal institutions’ compliance with their official languages responsibilities; and
• assigns the Minister of Canadian Heritage responsibility for developing a government wide official languages strategy, in consultation with the President of TB, and for conducting a ten year review of the Act and its application.
Part VII regulations
• The modernized OLA gives the TB responsibility, in consultation with the Minister of Canadian Heritage, for developing regulations that clarify how federal institutions should:
o take positive measures to:
 enhance the vitality of official language minority communities, and foster the full recognition and use of both English and French in Canadian society;
 protect and promote the French language; and
 strengthen opportunities for continuing learning in the minority language; and
o take the necessary measures to promote the inclusion of language clauses in agreements negotiated with the provinces and territories.
• On December 9, 2025, the President tabled the draft regulations in the House of Commons. Members of Parliament then have at least 30 sitting days to review them.
• Both the House of Commons Standing Committee on Official Languages (LANG) and the Standing Senate Committee on Official Languages (OLLO) are currently studying the draft regulations for Part VII of the Act. Each committee is hearing from departmental officials and external stakeholders, and both are expected to issue reports with recommendations to amend the draft regulations.
• The draft regulations were developed based on consultations with francophone minority community organizations; organizations from Quebec’s English speaking communities; the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages; and federal institutions, as well as through ongoing dialogue with provincial and territorial government representatives. The Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat (TBS) also worked closely with Canadian Heritage to engage Indigenous groups.
• The Act requires that the draft regulations be published in Part I of the Canada Gazette for public and stakeholder comments before they are finalized.
• In a final step, any further changes will be incorporated before seeking approval from the Governor in Council. The final regulations will then be published in Part II of the Canada Gazette.
Language Rights of Public Servants
Under Part V of the OLA, federal institutions must ensure that, within the National Capital Region and other designated bilingual regions, work environments are conducive to the effective use of both official languages. Specifically, federal institutions must provide employees in designated bilingual regions with personal and central services, as well as regularly and widely-used work tools, in both official languages. Employees in designated bilingual regions also have the right to be supervised in the official language of their choice. The modernized OLA extended this right to all employees occupying a position in a designated bilingual region, regardless of the linguistic designation of their position.

Linguistic identification of positions
In accordance with section 91 of the OLA, managers must objectively determine the language requirements of all positions based on the functions and duties associated with each position. This includes deciding whether a position requires the use of one or both official languages and, for bilingual positions, establishing the required level of proficiency in the second official language.
Since June 20, 2025, the TB Directive on Official Languages for People Management requires, at a minimum, a superior level (CBC or equivalent) of second language proficiency for new appointments to bilingual positions that include the supervision of employees occupying positions in bilingual regions, and when such positions become vacant.
Responsibility for human resources decisions lies with each deputy head, who must ensure compliance with TB policy instruments.
Obligations for Air Canada
Although it was privatized in 1989, Air Canada remains subject to the OLA under the Air Canada Public Participation Act. As a result, it must communicate with and serve the public in both official languages and ensure that its employees’ language of work rights are respected. As a private corporation, Air Canada’s CEO is appointed by its Board of Directors. There is no statutory requirement for CEOs of privatized companies to meet a specific level of proficiency in their second official language. The OLA imposes institutional—not personal—language obligations on Air Canada.

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