SENATORS’ STATEMENTS — Société de l'Acadie du Nouveau-Brunswick

Honourable senators, I rise today to celebrate a landmark decision handed down on June 12 by the Supreme Court of Canada in the case between the Société de l’Acadie du Nouveau-Brunswick and the federal government.

In an important decision for official language minority communities, the Supreme Court confirmed that the person holding the office of Lieutenant Governor of New Brunswick must be able to carry out their functions in both official languages. This decision recognizes the unique character of New Brunswick, Canada’s only officially bilingual province, and reaffirms the equal status of French and English and the equality of the linguistic communities living there.

Three fundamental principles emerged from this decision. First, the Supreme Court indicated that the Charter guarantees substantive equality for both official languages in the province’s institutions.

Second, the court found that this equality cannot be fully preserved when such an important position is held by a unilingual person.

Third, the court indicated that language rights are closely linked to identity, dignity and the full participation of the official language communities in the democratic life of the country.

I want to congratulate the Société de l’Acadie du Nouveau-Brunswick for its determination and perseverance. I also want to acknowledge the leadership of its president, Nicole Arseneau-Sluyter, and its director general, Ali Chaisson, as well as the remarkable work of the legal team that brought this case before the highest court in the country.

As a number of colleagues already know, I tabled Bills S-229 and S-220 in recent years on the language skills of lieutenant-governors and the governor general. The Supreme Court’s decision has significant declaratory effect with respect to the Constitution. It establishes the Constitution’s requirements regarding the position of Lieutenant Governor of New Brunswick from this time forward. Therefore, I do not intend to re-table Bills S-220 and S-229.

Today, I want to congratulate the men and women who fought this battle with courage and conviction. Thanks to them, the language rights of New Brunswick’s francophones have been strengthened, and our linguistic duality has been enhanced.

Thank you.