QUESTION PERIOD — Privy Council Office
Appointment of Lieutenant-Governors
April 26, 2022
My question is for the Government Representative in the Senate. On April 14, Chief Justice DeWare, of the Court of Queen’s Bench of New Brunswick, handed down a ruling that made headlines not only in New Brunswick, but across the country. She found that the Prime Minister’s recommendation of a unilingual person to fill the position of lieutenant-governor was unconstitutional. Does the government intend to appeal this decision or comply with it?
Thank you for the question. The Government of Canada is committed to ensuring the equality of English and French in Canada and to strengthening the Official Languages Act. As we know, many criteria are taken into account when these appointments are being made in order to ensure that the best person is selected to serve Canadians. Although the government is taking time to review this decision and consider next steps, it remains committed to protecting and promoting French across the country and advancing our linguistic duality.
I thank the Government Representative for reaffirming the government’s commitment to linguistic equality, and I welcome that. However, am I to understand that no decision has been made at this time, and that we won’t know until the end of the 30-day period whether the government will appeal the decision or not?
That’s correct. The government is considering next steps.
