QUESTION PERIOD — Ministry of Canadian Heritage—Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
Bilingualism Requirement for Deputy Ministers
May 11, 2022
Minister, welcome to the Senate of Canada. We all know what a critical role deputy ministers play in implementing our public policies.
In its final report on the modernization of the Official Languages Act, the Standing Senate Committee on Official Languages recommended the following:
Amend the Official Languages Act to require that, on appointment, deputy ministers have a sufficient understanding of English and French to be able to perform their duties in both official languages, orally and in writing.
Bill C-13, currently at second reading stage at the House of Commons, has no such provision.
Minister, my question is the following. Do you believe that deputy ministers should be bilingual on appointment? If so, how precisely does your government intend to follow through on this important recommendation from the Standing Senate Committee on Official Languages, particularly in the context of the current review of the Official Languages Act?
Thank you for your question, senator, and thank you for your work on official languages.
Respect for both official languages is more than an obligation. For our government, it’s a priority. As we acknowledged last year in our reform document, we know that, too often, executives do not have the capacity to supervise their employees in the official language of their choice and are slow in setting an example for their organizations.
The result is that some government employees do not feel comfortable using their mother tongue at work. That must change. We must maintain the use of both official languages in federal workplaces because, in my opinion, the right to work in French in the public service is non-negotiable.
The reforms we will make to the Official Languages Act will give more power to the Treasury Board to realize the vision of a public service where everyone can work in the official language of their choice. We will also ensure that employees have the tools they need to work in the official language of their choice.
As we announced in our reform document, we are also revising the official languages qualification standards, the standards for second-language evaluations and the minimum second-language requirements in the case of bilingual supervisory positions in designated bilingual regions.
We’re also developing a new training framework for the public service that will ensure quality instruction and be adapted to learners’ specific needs.
The federal government must show leadership and take positive measures to protect and promote French in the public service, and this must be reflected in our laws and in our actions. Thank you.
