LANG Committee Report

Ms. Suzie Cadieux
Clerk
Standing Committee on Official Languages
House of Commons
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0A6

Dear Ms. Cadieux:

On behalf of the Government of Canada, I am pleased to respond to the Standing Committee on Official Languages’ report entitled Linguistic Duality during the 150^th Anniversary Celebrations of Canadian Confederation in 2017.  I would like to acknowledge and thank the Standing Committee for its work on this study and convey my appreciation to all of those who appeared before the Standing Committee to share their views.

The 150^th anniversary of Confederation in 2017 will be an opportunity to strengthen national identity and help build a deeper understanding of our shared history and heritage.  These celebrations will promote a strong sense of pride among all Canadians and inspire a bright future for Canada.  In planning for this major anniversary, our Government will encourage Canadians to come together to celebrate what it means to be Canadian by understanding the people, events, history and values that helped to shape our country and our identity.

Our Government remains dedicated to the official languages of this country and considers them an integral part of Canadian history and identity.  We have committed, through Budget 2012, to support official languages by maintaining funding to protect, celebrate and enhance Canada’s linguistic duality.  This commitment is reflected in our Government’s new Roadmap for Canada’s Official Languages 2013–2018: Education, Immigration, Communities.  As we move forward with the planning of the 150^th anniversary of Confederation, please be assured that we will work to ensure that linguistic duality is integral to the celebrations.

The planning of the 2017 celebrations will be guided by past experiences and lessons learned from events such as the 400^th anniversary of the founding of Québec City, the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games and the Bicentennial of the War of 1812.  During these celebrations and commemorations, many Canadians, including members of official language minority communities, actively participated in the planning and success of the events held in their communities.  We will build on these experiences to ensure that the 2017 celebrations are reflective of our official languages.

Our Government recognizes the importance of engaging all Canadians in celebrating the 150^th anniversary of Confederation.  Therefore, consultations held in the planning stages will include official language minority communities to seek their views on how to ensure that linguistic duality is central to the 150^th celebrations.

In addition, in the context of its ongoing responsibilities to co‑operate with and support all federal institutions, pursuant to the Official Languages Act, the Department of Canadian Heritage will encourage federal institutions to take advantage of the 150^th anniversary celebrations to promote English and French in Canadian society.

On behalf of the Government, I would like to assure the Standing Committee that the recommendations put forward will be carefully considered as planning progresses.  I look forward to updating the Standing Committee once a formal plan is in place for the 150^th anniversary of Confederation in 2017.

Please accept my best wishes.

Sincerely,

The Honourable Shelly Glover, P.C., M.P.