THE STANDING SENATE COMMITTEE ON OFFICIAL LANGUAGES

MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS

OTTAWA, Monday, October 27, 2025
(5)

[English]

The Standing Senate Committee on Official Languages met this day at 5 p.m., in room B30, Senate of Canada Building, the chair, the Honourable Allister W. Surette, presiding.

Members of the committee present: The Honourable Senators Cormier, Gerba, Moncion, Patterson, Poirier and Surette (6).

Participating in the meeting: Marie-Ève Hudon, Analyst, Library of Parliament.

Pursuant to the order of reference adopted by the Senate on Wednesday, October 8, 2025, the committee continued its study on the regulatory framework of Part VII of the Official Languages Act.

WITNESSES:

Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat:

Carsten Quell, Executive Director, Official Languages Centre of Excellence, Office of the Chief Human Resources Officer;

Jean Surette, Director, Regulatory Cooperation, Regulatory Affairs Sector;

Jennifer Brown, Director, Regulatory Policy and Planning, Regulatory Affairs Sector.

Department of Justice Canada:

Robert Dufresne, Acting Chief Legislative Counsel and Deputy Assistant Deputy Minister, Legislative Services Branch, Public Law and Legislative Services Sector; and

Jacinthe Bourdages, Director and General Counsel, Official Languages Directorate, Public Law and Legislative Services Sector.

Carsten Quell, Jacinthe Bourdages and Robert Dufresne made a statement and answered questions.

At 6:27 p.m., the committee suspended.

At 6:33 p.m., the committee, pursuant to rule 12-16(1)(d), the committee resumed in camera to discuss a draft agenda (future business).

Is it agreed that the committee allow the audio recording of the in camera portion of today’s meeting, that one copy be kept with the clerk of the committee for consultation by committee members and/or their staff, and that the audio recording be destroyed by the clerk of the committee when authorized to do so by the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure, but no later than at the end of this parliamentary session.

It was agreed that the chair be authorized to seek authority from the Senate for the following order of reference:

That the Standing Senate Committee on Official Languages be authorized to examine and report on the strengthening of federal institutions’ arts, culture and heritage responsibilities in official language minority communities and in Canada more broadly;

That the committee specifically examine issues relating to:

(a) the training and professional development of human resources, including the development of digital skills;

(b) support for artistic, cultural and heritage infrastructure, including digital capabilities;

(c) the alignment of domestic and international initiatives to support cultural sovereignty, protect the diversity of cultural expression and ensure the online discoverability of cultural content produced by and for official language minority communities; and

(d) the implementation of the legislative and regulatory provisions that apply to federal institutions with regard to:

i) providing services of equal quality in both official languages;

ii) enhancing the vitality of official language minority communities;

iii) promoting the presence of strong institutions serving those communities;

iv) fostering the full recognition of both official languages in Canadian society; and

v) protecting and promoting French; and

That the committee submit its final report to the Senate no later than March 31, 2027, and that the committee retain all powers necessary to publicize its findings for 180 days after the tabling of the final report.

At 6:54 p.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the chair.

ATTEST:

Catherine Cuerrier

Clerk of the Committee