Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Good afternoon.
Good afternoon, members of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Official Languages.
Thank you for inviting me to testify before you today.
It is an honour and a privilege to be able to present to you my background, my motivations and the vision I wish to put in service of Canada as Commissioner of Official Languages.
The coming into force of the modernized Official Languages Act in June marked a pivotal moment in our country's linguistic history.
This ambitious reform requires strong leadership, a detailed understanding of the issues and a proven ability to work collaboratively with federal institutions, provincial and territorial governments, as well as language communities across the country.
As commissioner, it is important to champion a modern, confident and inclusive bilingualism that strengthens our democracy, empowers every community and ensures Canada's linguistic future thrives for generations. I am ready to take on this responsibility with rigour, determination and a strong sense of duty.
The mission of the Commissioner of Official Languages is essential to ensure the vitality of our linguistic communities in an officially bilingual Canada. Its purpose is to ensure respect for English and French, to protect and strengthen the place of French in Canada and to support the development and vitality of communities.
I'm no stranger to these goals. They have been central to my identity, my career and my commitments for over 25 years.
I was born and raised in a large family deeply rooted in both cultures covered by the Official Languages Act. From generation to generation, my parents, grandparents and great-grandparents—francophone, anglophone and bilingual—passed on a sincere appreciation for both official languages to me.
Long before the act was passed in 1969, my parents deliberately chose to enrol me in French-language schools. I continued my education there from kindergarten to the end of high school in Cornwall, Ontario. This early exposure to the official languages has shaped my intimate understanding of Canadian bilingualism on a daily basis.
This understanding quickly translated into meaningful engagement. Early in my career, I taught French to hundreds of students in immersion schools in several regions of Ontario. On the ground, I observed the fundamental importance of access to quality education in French, both for francophones and for those learning French as a second language.
There was nothing more rewarding for me, as a teacher, than to observe the pride, hope and tremendous gratitude expressed, mostly by anglophone parents whose children were enrolled in my classroom, who were learning to speak French and acquiring the knowledge and skills that would enable them to fully participate in a bilingual Canadian society.
Then, as a lawyer, as assistant deputy minister at the Ministry of Francophone Affairs and as French Language Services Commissioner, I contributed directly to the advancement of language rights in collaboration with anglophone and francophone partners across the country.
These positions enabled me to navigate the country's various language regimes and see to what extent their harmonious co‑existence depends on sustained, structured intergovernmental collaboration focused on concrete results.
They have also enabled me to develop a deep understanding of the challenges faced by minority-language communities as well as the institutional levers required to address them effectively. I am committed to working in partnership with anglophone and francophone communities, governments and institutional actors to strengthen linguistic vitality across the country.
Like you, I'm convinced that our official languages are at the heart of the Canadian identity, our cultural and economic sovereignty, and the national unity we're responsible for preserving.
The rigorous implementation of the modernized Official Languages Act is essential to ensuring the sustainability of this language regime that's like no other in the world.
I aspire to champion a bilingual Canada, where substantive equality between our official languages is fully realized.
I hope I can count on your support and receive the honour of this nomination. If this responsibility is entrusted to me, I will take it up with integrity and commitment, as well as a deep pride in serving Canada and its two official languages.
Thank you.
