Minister responsible for Official Languages (Canada)

The minister of official languages (French: ministre des langues officielles) is a minister of the Crown in the Canadian Cabinet.

Minister of Official Languages
Ministre des Langues officielles
Incumbent
Ginette Petitpas Taylor
since October 26, 2021
Department of Canadian Heritage
StyleThe Honourable
Member of
Reports to
AppointerMonarch (represented by the governor general);[1]
on the advice of the prime minister[2]
Term lengthAt His Majesty's pleasure
Constituting instrumentOfficial Languages Act
Formation2003

The minister is responsible for administering Official Languages Act, ensuring that government services are available in both English and French, protecting minority language rights, particularly in the area of education, as well as promoting bilingualism throughout Canada.

Ginette Petitpas Taylor has served as the minister of official languages since October 26, 2021. She concurrently serves as minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency.[3]

Background

In 2003, the first minister responsible for Official Languages was sworn in, on the creation of the "Official Languages Branch of Intergovernmental Affairs" within the Privy Council Office.[4] In 2006, responsibility was shifted from the Privy Council Office to the Department of Canadian Heritage, and the branch was renamed the "Official Languages Secretariat".[5] From 2015 to 2019, the post was called Minister of Tourism, Official Languages and La Francophonie.[6]

Sections 42 and 43 of the Official Languages Act give the minister of Canadian heritage the specific responsibility of taking measures to advance the equality of status and use of English and French in Canadian society; under section 44 of that Act, the minister must submit annual reports to Parliament on the matters relating to official languages for which the minister is responsible.[7][8]

List of ministers
Name Term of office Title[6] Political party Ministry
Pierre Pettigrew December 12, 2003 July 19, 2004 Minister responsible for Official Languages Liberal 27th (Martin)
Mauril Bélanger July 20, 2004 February 5, 2006
Josée Verner February 6, 2006 August 13, 2007 Minister for La Francophonie and Official Languages Conservative 28th (Harper)
August 14, 2007 May 26, 2008 Minister of Canadian Heritage, Status of Women and Official Languages
James Moore June 25, 2008 October 29, 2008 Secretary of State (Asia-Pacific Gateway) (2010 Olympics) (Official Languages)
October 30, 2008 July 14, 2013 Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages
Shelly Glover July 15, 2013 November 4, 2015
Mélanie Joly July 18, 2018 November 20, 2019 Minister of Tourism, Official Languages and La Francophonie Liberal 29th (Trudeau)
November 20, 2019 October 26, 2021 Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages
Ginette Petitpas Taylor October 26, 2021 Incumbent Minister of Official Languages

See also

References
  1. "Constitutional Duties". The Governor General of Canada. Retrieved 2020-04-20.
  2. "House of Commons Procedure and Practice - 1. Parliamentary Institutions - Canadian Parliamentary Institutions". www.ourcommons.ca. Retrieved 2020-04-20.
  3. Curry, Bill; Kirkup, Kristy; Raman-Wilms, Menaka; Dickson, Janice (2021-10-26). "Trudeau cabinet shuffle: Anita Anand moves to Defence, Steven Guilbeault to Environment, Mélanie Joly to Foreign Affairs". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 2021-10-26.
  4. "Official Languages Secretariat". Retrieved 2011-07-23.
  5. "Order Transferring from Privy Council Office to the Department of Canadian Heritage the Control and Supervision of the Official Languages Secretariat, SI/2006-45".
  6. "Departments and Roles: 1867 - Today". lop.parl.ca. Retrieved 2021-05-20.
  7. Official Languages Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. 31 (4th Supp.)
  8. "Canadian Heritage Official Languages Annual Reports".
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