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The Commissioner of Official Languages of Canada is an agent of Parliament whose duty is to promote Canada’s official languages and protect the language rights of Canadians. A critical component of the Commissioner’s job is to report to parliamentary committees in both the House of Commons and the Senate of Canada. The Commissioner of Official Languages also travels from coast to coast, participating in panel discussions, meeting key partners and delivering speeches on official languages to young Canadians, researchers, public service employees and community leaders. You will find many of his speeches here.
2018
Notes for an appearance before the Standing Senate Committee on Official Languages – Presentation of the 2017–2018 annual report and the Commissioner’s vision on the modernization of the Official Languages Act
Monday, December 10, 2018
It is with a strong sense of duty that I appear before you this evening. I’m accompanied today by assistant Commissioners Ghislaine Saikaley and Pierre Leduc and by my general counsel, Pascale Giguère. As you know, I appeared before the House of Commons Standing Committee on Official Languages last...
Notes for an appearance before the House of Commons Standing Committee on Official Languages - State of Canada's Francophonie
Thursday, December 06, 2018
With me are assistant commissioners Ghislaine Saikaley and Pierre Leduc, as well as my general counsel, Pascale Giguère. I am appearing before you today with not a little apprehension. Given the current trend that is spreading across the country, I am more than concerned about the events that have...
Speech at the Official Languages Best Practices Forum
Thursday, November 29, 2018
It gives me great pleasure to speak to you this morning and share my vision of official languages to inform the many productive discussions I hope will take place throughout the day. I would like to thank the forum’s tripartite organizing committee, that is, the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat...
Notes for an address at the 2018 Rendez-vous fransaskois
Saturday, November 03, 2018
I think the Rendez-vous’ “United in Diversity” theme this year is very appropriate in this new era of reconciliation, unity and solidarity. I’d also like to congratulate Denis Simard on his confirmation as President of the Assemblée communautaire fransaskoise (ACF), and Ronald Labrecque on his...
Notes for an address at the Minority Community Vitality Through Education Forum
Sunday, October 28, 2018
I’m delighted to be back in Montréal and to be speaking to you this morning at the first forum organized by the new Inter-Level Education Table. I applaud your commitment to hold biennial community-building forums such as this one. Good research—evidence-based research—is vital to the development...
Notes for an address at the Assemblée de la Francophonie de l’Ontario’s annual conference
Friday, October 26, 2018
I’d like to apologize in advance to anyone who may have heard my speech at the Club canadien’s dinner cocktail last night. I haven’t had a change of heart since then, so I may be repeating myself a little.
Notes for an address to the Club canadien de Toronto
Thursday, October 25, 2018
I’d like to thank Dominic Mailloux, Chair of the Club canadien de Toronto, for giving me the honour of speaking to you. I’m very pleased to be here this evening to talk to you—as former Commissioner Fraser has done in the past—about the vitality of Ontario’s French-speaking community and about my...
Notes for an appearance before the House of Commons Standing Committee on Official Languages – Presentation of the 2017–2018 annual report
Thursday, October 18, 2018
It is with a strong sense of duty that I address you this morning. I’m accompanied today by my three assistant Commissioners—Ghislaine Saikaley, Éric Trépanier and Pierre Leduc—and by my General Counsel, Pascale Giguère. As you all know, I tabled my 2017–2018 annual report in Parliament on June 12...
Notes for an address at the Annual Conference of the Association canadienne d’éducation de langue française
Friday, September 28, 2018
I am honoured to be here today to kick off the annual conference of the Association canadienne d’éducation de langue française (ACELF).
Notes for an address on Linguistic Duality Day
Thursday, September 13, 2018
Our two official languages—English and French—are at the core of our Canadian identity. Together with Indigenous languages, Canada’s first languages, they reflect the linguistic diversity of our society.
Notes for an address at the annual meeting of the Fédération de la jeunesse canadienne-française
Friday, September 07, 2018
Since taking office as Commissioner of Official Languages, I’ve been travelling across Canada talking to researchers, community leaders, residents of Francophone minority communities in Canada, members of Quebec’s English-speaking communities, and young Canadians like you. For example, on June 21st...
Speech for the 23rd Ministerial Conference on the Canadian Francophonie
Thursday, July 05, 2018
I’m delighted to be here today for the 23rd edition of the Ministerial Conference on the Canadian Francophonie. For those of you who don’t know me, I’ve spent my life studying and defending linguistic duality. The issues surrounding linguistic duality resonate to my core. For me, it’s not only a...
Notes for an address at the 39th Annual Conference of the l’Association des juristes d’expression française de l’Ontario
Friday, June 22, 2018
I am delighted to be back in Moncton for the 39th annual conference of the Association des juristes d’expression française de l’Ontario (AJEFO) and to be speaking to you this morning.
Notes for an address at the annual Conference of Official Languages Champions
Tuesday, June 19, 2018
I’m delighted to be with you today. I’d like to thank Debbie Beresford-Green, Chair of the Council of the Network of Official Languages Champions, for inviting me to speak. I’d also like to thank Translation Bureau Chief Executive Officer Stéphan Déry who, along with Ms. Beresford-Green, is a...
Statement to the media for the release of the 2017–2018 annual report
Tuesday, June 12, 2018
It is with a strong sense of duty that I address you this morning. As you know, today I released my 2017–2018 annual report.
Speech for the Translation Bureau Vision Summit
Wednesday, May 16, 2018
I believe that the time was ripe for the Translation Bureau to take action and to recapture its pedigree. A modernized vision, supported by a centre of excellence in linguistic services, is the first step in that process.
Notes for an address to the Group of Heads of Francophone Diplomatic Missions
Friday, April 27, 2018
French philosopher Blaise Pascal once said, “Eloquence is a painting of thoughts.” I’ll now try to paint an honest picture of my background and give you a clear vision of my mandate as Commissioner of Official Languages.
Notes for an address to the Canadian Forces College: The importance of bilingualism in the Canadian Armed Forces
Thursday, April 12, 2018
Thank you for inviting me to speak about the importance of bilingualism in the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF).
Speech for the Dialogue Canada Annual General Meeting
Monday, March 26, 2018
First, thank you for this invitation. I feel privileged to have been appointed Commissioner of Official Languages and to be with you today to start our discussion. I know that it will give me food for thought throughout my mandate.
Speech for the 12th annual Journée de réflexion sur l’immigration francophone “Regards vers l’avenir : soutenir une francophonie plurielle et inclusive” Panel
Wednesday, March 21, 2018
First, I would like to thank you for inviting me to participate in the “Regards vers l’avenir : soutenir une francophonie plurielle et inclusive” panel [“Looking ahead: supporting a diverse and inclusive Francophonie”]. I look forward to taking part in the discussions. I am sure they will lead to...
Notes for an address during the day of reflection on Canadian Francophonie: History and migration
Thursday, March 01, 2018
First, I would like to thank you for inviting me. As you know, I have just started my mandate, and I am honoured to have been appointed Commissioner of Official Languages. I am pleased to be with you today to continue the discussion on immigration, a crucial issue for our official language minority...
