Ottawa – Members of the Senate Committee on Official Languages are turning to Canadians as they embark on an in-depth study of the Official Languages Act.

Last fall, the federal government announced a review of the Official Languages (Communications with and Services to the Public) Regulations. However, the federal government is focusing only on the delivery of services in both official languages and will therefore not take into consideration a number of other important sections of the Act.

As 2019 will mark the 50^th anniversary of the adoption of the Official Languages Act, there could not be a more appropriate time for the official languages committee to consult Canadians about how to bring this piece of legislation into the 21^st century.

The committee is conducting a five-part study and anticipates releasing a series of interim reports on its progress. Senators intend to hear evidence from:

• young people,
• official language minority communities,
• people who have witnessed the evolution of the Official Languages Act,
• the justice sector, and
• federal institutions.

Committee members are seeking innovative ways to reach out to their targeted segments of the population, especially young people.  They are anxious to see how the Act can contribute to the substantive equality of both official languages in Canadian society.

Quotes

“The Senate Committee on Official Languages feels strongly about consulting Canadians and fully understanding their views to ensure that modernizing the Official Languages Act meets the needs of Canadians across the country, particularly young people.”

- Senator Claudette Tardif, Chair of the committee

“Canada will mark the 50^th anniversary of the Official Languages Act in 2019. It’s time to ensure the Act truly reflects the realities of today’s francophone and anglophone communities. Throughout our study we will meet with Canadians and ask them on important questions related to the vitality of French and English across the country.”

- Senator Rose-May Poirier, Deputy Chair of the committee

Associated Links

• Learn more about the committee.
• The Senate of Canada is on Twitter and Facebook. Follow the committee using the hashtag #OLLO.
• Sign up for the Senate’s eNewsletter.

For more information, please contact:

Sonia Noreau, Media Relations Coordinator
Senate of Canada
(613) 614-1180 | sonia.noreau@sen.parl.gc.ca