Official Languages Committee on May 5th, 2026

[Julie Boyer]

The regulations have defined regions with a strong francophone presence using potential demand for federal communications and services in the minority official language as an indicator. Our position is based on postcensal surveys that take place every 10 years.

Luckily, our draft regulations have a provision that states that we must undertake a review every 10 years. If official language minority communities experience strong growth during this time frame, the regulations may be reviewed to include these regions.

[Alexis Deschênes, Bloc, Gaspésie—Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine—Listuguj, QC]

Thank you.

I'll give the rest of my time to my colleague Ms. Chenette.

[Madeleine Chenette, Liberal, Thérèse-De Blainville, QC]

Thank you, colleague.

Mr. Chair, guests and panellists, thank you for making yourselves available and for your tireless work to promote our two official languages. It's really important for our communities across Canada.

I have a question to help me fully understand the reality of this project. Why is there a two-year interval between the regulations coming into force in Quebec and when they come into force in the rest of Canada?

[Julie Boyer]

That's a good question.

The Charter of the French Language regime has already laid the groundwork for federally regulated private businesses operating in Quebec. The regime has been in place for a long time, which means that these companies have offered opportunities to work in French and have been providing services in French for a long time. Thus, we consider that they are ready to choose to implement the charter or the regulations on the use of French in federally regulated private businesses that we are working on now when they come into force.

The two-year time frame gives private businesses in regions outside Quebec with a strong francophone presence that have not faced these obligations time to implement the regulations. They probably provide what is required, because we have established a list of regions with a strong francophone presence. If they're already on the right track and offer their clients services in the official language of their choice, well and good, but if not, they will now be required to do so. We're giving them a two-year period to give them time to, for example, translate documents if need be, give their employees employment contracts or information from the employer in French if the employee chooses, and to provide services in French, and this may require language training or customer service training in French. The two years will give them time to set things up.

[Madeleine Chenette, Liberal, Thérèse-De Blainville, QC]

I've also heard that some anglophone communities have expressed reservations and are wondering whether the regulations will apply to both languages. What is the rationale for the regulations applying exclusively to French?

[Sarah Boily]

It really starts with the Use of French in Federally Regulated Private Businesses Act. As the name suggests, the regime was created to deliver on the government's commitment. I think the 2020 Speech from the Throne recognized that French was in a precarious situation and that there was a need to take concrete steps to protect it. This regime is connected to that commitment.

[Madeleine Chenette, Liberal, Thérèse-De Blainville, QC]

Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Yvan Baker]

Thank you, Ms. Chenette.

Colleagues, I've just been told that we have to suspend again due to technical reasons. That means that first, what we're talking about has not been captured in the blues and second, the people watching the meeting can no longer hear what we're saying.

You have the floor, Mr. Dalton.

[Marc Dalton, Conservative, Pitt Meadows—Maple Ridge, BC]

Can we give the witnesses more time since we're losing time due to technical reasons?

[The Chair, Liberal, Yvan Baker]

Witnesses, can you give the committee another hour?

[Julie Boyer]

Of course, we'd be happy to stay on.

[The Chair, Liberal, Yvan Baker]

Thank you, Ms. Boyer.

I'm going to suspend the meeting.

[The Chair, Liberal, Yvan Baker]

Colleagues, the technicians have resolved the issue. I'm going to speak for a few seconds to test the system, and so I'm asking the technicians to let us know whether or not everything is working well before we start the next round of questions.

Is it working?

Apparently, the issue has been resolved. Many thanks to the technicians for their work.

We're going to proceed with the next member.

Mr. Beaulieu, you have the floor for six minutes.

[Mario Beaulieu, Bloc, La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

To answer my colleague's question on the issue that anglophone groups have brought up with him, I would point out that right now, the English language is thriving while the French language is in decline. When it comes to the language of work, it's quite obvious that English is largely predominant. Thus, the French language needs support.

Under normal circumstances, all opposition parties would have been onside on applying Bill 101 to federally regulated private businesses. However, the Liberals did not support this. The UFPBA was somewhat the way to prevent the government of Quebec from applying Bill 101 to federally regulated businesses.

Ms. Boily, there are two conflicting regimes now. By the way, I'm not asking you to take a stand, because that's not your role.

As I understand it, businesses that are subject to Bill 101 did not have other options, because the new Bill 101 applies to all businesses throughout Quebec, with the exception of those covered by the UFPBA. However, now, businesses that had started the francization process can choose to withdraw from the Charter of the French Language and to submit to the UFPBA. The briefing note states that around 40% of federally regulated private businesses in Quebec have not yet registered under the Charter of the French Language. These businesses will be automatically registered under the UFPBA.

Is that correct?

[Sarah Boily]

When the regulations on the use of French in federally regulated private businesses are adopted, it will set everything in motion, and the UFPBA will be in force. At that point, all federally regulated private businesses will be subject to the UFPBA. Indeed, they can make the choice. The regulations were drafted in a way that allows them to choose whether they want to be subject to the charter, but they don't have the option to opt out of the UFPBA. The federal legislation must be complied with once it comes into force.

[Mario Beaulieu, Bloc, La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC]

You said that at some point you would publish the register of federally regulated private businesses that are not yet registered. Is that right?

[Sarah Boily]

Yes. I think that based on the way the draft regulations have been drafted—and Mr. Léger can confirm this—the Minister will publish the list of federally regulated businesses that are subject to the regime. The minister will draw up lists, and the information will be public.

[Mario Beaulieu, Bloc, La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC]

You're referring to the businesses that are subject to the federal regime, right?

[Sarah Boily]

Yes.

[Mario Beaulieu, Bloc, La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC]

We're probably also talking about businesses that are subject to the Charter of the French Language.

[Sarah Boily]

I believe that the Office québécois de la langue française currently publishes the names of these businesses, and so the federal government could publish the names of the other businesses.

[Mario Beaulieu, Bloc, La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC]

You said that there were negotiations with the government of Quebec to submit lists. Is that right?

[Sarah Boily]

We'd like to see that. The act states that an agreement can be made with the government of Quebec to agree on the transmission of data and lists, and so, yes, that would be in the next steps.

[Mario Beaulieu, Bloc, La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC]

Basically, the threshold of 25 employees was established because the Charter of the French Language applies to businesses with 25 or more employees. Is that right?

[Sarah Boily]

Yes.