We are very conscious of the fact that the governance of the Official Languages Act is shared within the federal government. Parts IV, V and VI are primarily the responsibility of the Treasury Board. Part VII falls under the Department of Canadian Heritage, but that is mainly about coordination.
As to where the best place is, some questions need to be answered first. Clearly, there is a need for a central agency. Is it Treasury Board or the Privy Council? That kind of thinking needs to continue.
In 2003, there was a minister responsible for official languages, the Honourable Stéphane Dion. He was supported by a committee of deputy ministers to make sure that the Official Languages Act was implemented.
The concept of shared responsibility does not work very well within the government. It is therefore important to clearly define the roles and responsibilities of this agency, to ensure good stewardship of the Official Languages Act and to ensure that action is taken quickly when there are setbacks.
It is therefore up to Parliament to decide on where good governance of the official languages can best be ensured.