Mr. Chair, members of the committee, good morning.
I'd like to start by acknowledging that we are gathered here on the traditional unceded territory of the Algonquin Anishinabe nation.
I am here in response to the invitation you extended to the deputy minister of Canadian Heritage, whom I am replacing here. I am accompanied by Carsten Quell, executive director, and Annie Proulx, director of regulations and policies. They both work at the official languages centre of excellence, within the office of the chief human resources officer, Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat.
I'm speaking to you today in my capacity as director general, official languages, Department of Canadian Heritage.
As you know, Canadian Heritage has various official language responsibilities. As director general, I offer my best advice and input to the assistant deputy minister for official languages, heritage and regions, as well as to the deputy minister of Canadian Heritage within the framework of her mandate as the general administrator of the department. It is our duty, among others, to ensure that Canadian Heritage provides a workplace conducive to the use of both official languages.
The deputy minister also has the mandate to support ministers whose portfolio falls under Canadian Heritage's responsibility. To that end, she supports the Minister of Official Languages by providing her with professional non-partisan advice for the purposes of developing and implementing policies, such as the development of a government-wide official languages strategy commonly called the official languages action plan.
That said, I must point out that changing the linguistic status of 24 additional post offices in the greater Montreal area is beyond the scope of those responsibilities. I therefore defer to my colleagues at Treasury Board Secretariat who are responsible for this file.
I would be pleased to answer any questions which falls under the responsibility of Heritage Canada.
Thank you.