Modernization of Official Languages Act: Appointment of Expert Panel on Language of Work and Service in Federally Regulated Private Businesses

OTTAWA, March 5, 2021

As announced in the document English and French: Towards a Substantive Equality of Official Languages in Canada, released on February 19, the Government of Canada aims to help protect and promote the use of French in federally regulated private businesses.

The Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages, announced today the creation of the expert panel that will study the implementation of new rights and obligations as proposed as part of the reform. The following individuals were selected to serve on the committee to ensure that it is reasonably representative of Canada’s linguistic groups, and on the basis of their expertise in the areas of official languages, labour relations, the administration of federally regulated service enterprises, constitutional rights and the implementation of the Charter of the French Language by private businesses in Quebec:

• Dr. Linda Cardinal
• Dr. Frédéric Bérard
• Dr. Donald Savoie
• M^e Pierre-André Blanchard
• Dr. Ibrahima Diallo
• M^e Janice Naymark
• M^e Josée Gervais (associate expert)

The experts have the dual mandate to recommend possible recourses for workers and consumers as well as criteria to recognize regions outside Quebec with a strong Francophone presence. The board will also be required to consult with leaders of various certified unions representing workers and employers of federally regulated businesses, representatives of various levels of government, partners from linguistic minority communities and managers of federally regulated businesses. The panel will have 60 days to do its work. Their first meeting will take place March 8.

By reforming and modernizing official language policy in Canada, the government intends to give employees the right to work in French in federally regulated private businesses in Quebec and in other regions of the country where there is a strong Francophone presence. The reformed policy will also require employers to communicate with their employees in French, to prohibit discrimination against employees solely because they speak only French or do not have sufficient knowledge of a another language and to ensure consumers are able to be informed and served in French.