Standing Committee on Official Languages

Comité permanent des langues officielles

For immediate release

Ottawa, December 14, 2016 -

In the House of Commons today, the Hon. Denis Paradis, Chair of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Official Languages, tabled the Committee’s report entitled Toward a New Action Plan for Official Languages and Building New Momentum for Immigration in Francophone Minority Communities.

The Committee examined the official languages priorities of Canadians and, more specifically, those of official language minority communities (OLMCs). It also made recommendations concerning the federal government’s next official languages action plan. Among its recommendations, the Committee called on the government to review the governance model for official languages and consider creating a central body in the Privy Council Office to handle official languages issues.

Immigration, one of the key components of the Roadmap for Canada’s Official Languages 2013–2018, continues to be a priority for OLMCs. The Committee focused on this issue and on francophone immigration in minority communities in particular. One of the Committee’s recommendations is that Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada develop an official policy on immigration to francophone minority communities and make the department’s Official Languages Secretariat responsible for implementing the policy and coordinating the interdepartmental and intergovernmental activities needed to meet federal francophone immigration targets.

“This report highlights the common themes that emerged from the evidence considered during our public hearings. During the study, we heard from 43 witnesses from across the country. As Committee Chair, I hope that the report will improve decision making and strengthen Canada’s official languages. On behalf of the Committee, I would like to thank everyone who contributed to the report,” said the Hon. Denis Paradis.

The New Democratic Party issued a supplementary opinion.

The report is available from the Committee’s web page on the Parliament of Canada website at http://www.parl.gc.ca/LANG-e. Anyone unable to access an electronic copy of the report can obtain a paper copy by contacting the Committee clerk.

The Standing Committee on Official Languages is composed of 10 members. The Chair is the Hon. Denis Paradis (Brome–Missisquoi) and the Vice chairs are John Nater (Perth–Wellington) and François Choquette (Drummond). The other members are René Arseneault (Madawaska–Restigouche), Sylvie Boucher (Beauport–Côte de Beaupré–Île d’Orléans–Charlevoix), Bernard Généreux (Montmagny–L’Islet–Kamouraska–Rivière du Loup), Linda Lapointe (Rivière des Mille Îles), Paul Lefebvre (Sudbury), Darrel Samson (Sackville–Preston–Chezzetcook) and Dan Vandal (Saint Boniface–Saint Vital).