Canada to update and modernize its Official Languages Act
Ottawa, Mar 14 (IBNS): In celebration of the 50th anniversary of its Official Languages Act, Canada has initiated a review of the Act after its announcement in June 2018 to modernize it, media reports said.
The last major reform of the law was in 1988 and recent calls to update the same, including from a Senate committee that late last month, said the act needs to be applied more effectively and consistently.
Government of Canada is conducting national discussions on promoting culture and bilingualism in the digital age, federal institutions that embody official languages, and Canada’s place of Official languages in the world, as well as mobilization, development and importance of official-language minority communities to meet the new challenges they face.
“The Prime Minister has tasked me with reviewing the Official Languages Act...to reflect the changes in our society... 50 years after its adoption...our approach is based on open dialogue and meaningful collaboration with key stakeholders. I am grateful to everyone who joined the conversation in Moncton on the promotion of culture and bilingualism,” said Mélanie Joly, Federal Minister of Tourism, Official Languages and La Francophonie.
As part of a Canada-wide tour, the Joly has visited Moncton (New Brunswick) to lead a forum on cultural and bilingualism promotion.
Many ideas and suggestions were made by elected officials from various stakeholders present from the English- and French-language communities.
The Moncton forum is one of a series of meetings in several cities across Canada designed to provide Minister Joly with food for thought on the main issues and on the best approaches for modernizing the Official Languages Act.
All Canadians have been invited to to take part in the forums to share their thoughts and comments on the role of English and French in Canadian society to complement the consultations and reviews already conducted by other bodies regarding the language of government communication, work of federal public servants and the promotion of official languages.
(Reporting by Asha Bajaj)
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