Minister Petitpas Taylor launches national consultations for the next Action Plan for Official Languages

Government of Canada would like to hear from Canadians about their vision of future of official languages and the next Action Plan for Official Languages.

VANCOUVER, BC, May 24, 2022 /CNW/ - Our two official languages are central to our history. They are part of our identity as Canadians. The Government of Canada is committed to creating a new action plan for official languages to enhance the vitality of official language minority communities and promote our two official languages for all Canadians.

Today, the Honourable Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Minister of Official Languages and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, kicked off cross-Canada consultations on official languages, which will be held until August 2022. She was accompanied by Taleeb Noormohamed, Member of Parliament (Vancouver Granville). In launching these consultation, Minister Petitpas Taylor would like to learn about the realities, challenges and priorities of Canadians regarding official languages to inform the measures that will highlight the Action Plan for Official Languages 2023-2028.

Consultations will be offered in many formats, including in-person forums (by invitation) in Vancouver, Winnipeg, Regina, Edmonton, Montréal, Sherbrooke, Sudbury, Whitehorse, Moncton, Halifax, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Labrador and in the Northwest Territories, Nunavut and Yukon. Information about dates and times will be regularly updated on the consultations website.

Online consultations are open to all Canadians and accessible. Participants are encouraged to share their opinions or concerns about the place of English and French in Canadian society. In addition, consultations will take place with provincial and territorial governments, and virtual topical consultations will be held to discuss topics including Francophone immigration, diversity and inclusion, government leading by example. The consultations will conclude with a summit in Ottawa focusing on summarizing and reviewing the information collected.

Quotes

"As Minister of Official Languages and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, I'm proud to kick off the cross-Canada consultations on the Action Plan for Official Languages 2023-2028. This will allow me to meet with Canadians and hear about their vision and priorities for official languages. These consultations will allow us to develop an action plan for official languages that will reflect our daily reality and make a real difference in the lives of official language minority communities."

—The Honourable Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Minister of Official Languages and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency

Quick Facts

In recent years, the Government of Canada has made historic investments to support the country's official languages. It has distributed $500 million, included in the 2018-2023 Action Plan for Official Languages and more than $408.3 million in additional funding included in the 2021 Budget. All initiatives in the current action plan have been implemented. These investments aim, among other things, to increase bilingualism among Canadians and support educational institutions and community spaces serving official language minority communities.

On March 1, 2022, the Government of Canada introduced an improved bill aimed at a substantive equality of official languages in Canada and to adapt the Official Languages Act to a changing society. Among other things, this bill aims to remedy the decline of French in Canada, clarify and strengthen the section of the Official Languages Act concerning the promotion of official languages and support official language minority communities.

Associated Links

Cross-Canada consultations on Official Languages 2022
Official Languages and bilingualism
Minister Petitpas Taylor's mandate letter
2021 Speech from the Throne

SOURCE Canadian Heritage

Marianne Blondin, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Official Languages and Minister responsible for Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, [email protected]; Media Relations, Canadian Heritage, 819-994-9101, 1-866-569-6155, [email protected]