Official Languages Committee on May 7th, 2026

[The Chair, Liberal, Yvan Baker]

Welcome to meeting number 34 of the Standing Committee on Official Languages. Pursuant to Standing Order 108(3)(f) and the motion adopted on April 21, we are meeting today to study the proposed regulations on the use of French in federally regulated private businesses.

I would now like to welcome our witnesses. As an individual, we welcome Gianluca Campofredano, lawyer. From the Acadian Society of New Brunswick, we have Nicole Arseneau-Sluyter, president, and Ali Chaisson, executive director, who is attending via video conference.

Each group will have five minutes to deliver an opening statement. We will then proceed to a question-and-answer period with the committee members.

Mr. Campofredano, you have the floor for five minutes.

[Gianluca Campofredano, lawyer, as an individual]

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.

I will introduce myself first.

I thank all the members of the Standing Committee on Official Languages for welcoming me today to give this testimony. My name is Gianluca Campofredano, I am a lawyer and I have been a member of the Barreau du Québec since late 2017. I co-founded the law firm Boavista Services juridiques in 2020, a multidisciplinary law firm in Montreal.

In 2022, my firm and I collaborated with Professor Guillaume Rousseau, a specialist in language law in Quebec, on a project funded by the Office québécois de la langue française. This mandate led us to produce guides, informational capsules, and educational materials on language law, published by the legal clinic of the Université de Sherbrooke, Clé de vos droits.

As part of this mandate, we also designed presentations and practical guides, and held several workshops on labour law and commercial law related to language law in Quebec. This assortment of content is accessible through the Centre d’accès à l’information juridique, the CAIJ, and the Société québécoise d’information juridique, the SOQUIJ. We have held these workshops for other audiences, including university students.

Lastly, we also helped with the update to the second edition of the book Le droit linguistique au Québec by Professor Guillaume Rousseau, particularly the chapter dealing with labour law and language at work.

In my professional practice, I popularize language law for the general public, and I continue to offer workshops on language law when requested by the CAIJ or SOQUIJ.

I have reviewed the proposed regulations on the use of French in federally regulated private businesses as well as the Use of French in Federally Regulated Private Businesses Act. Drawing on my expertise in the field, I would like to contribute to the discussion surrounding these regulations, particularly with respect to the integration of the protections offered by Bill 96, the new version of the Charter of the French Language in Quebec.

I am of the opinion that the protection and promotion of French require clear legislative intervention, particularly with regard to federally regulated businesses that have a significant presence in Quebec and employ a large number of workers. It is essential to regulate the language of work on two levels: first, in internal communications between employers and employees, and second, in external communications with the public, notably customer service and advertising, especially on social media.

In my opinion, any legislative intervention should be strictly inspired by the Charter of the French Language, as reinforced by Bill 96 in 2022, in order to respect its spirit and objectives. This approach would ensure legal consistency and prevent any legal uncertainty that could undermine the right to work and be served in French.

On the ground, we have seen an increasing use of English, particularly among young people and in downtown Montreal. Within our firm, at Boavista Services juridiques, we have chosen to work exclusively in French, both in our communications and in our online presence on social media, the Internet, and elsewhere, in order to actively help to promote the French language. The appeal of English remains very strong and, without concrete and structural measures, French is likely to continue declining, especially in Montreal. The federal government must therefore lead by example and align itself with the efforts made by the Quebec government; otherwise, there is a real risk of seeing two distinct language regimes coexist, which would further weaken the situation of the French language.

We support these regulations insofar as they ensure a level of protection equivalent to that provided by the Charter of the French Language. It would also be desirable to explicitly recognize the right to work in French as a fundamental language right, as provided for in article 4 of the Charter of the French Language.

Furthermore, unlike the general principles currently set out in the act and the proposed regulations, the Charter of the French Language provides concrete mechanisms regarding the language of work, particularly concerning recruitment, protection against linguistic discrimination and the regulation of language requirements related to employment—

[The Chair, Liberal, Yvan Baker]

Mr. Campofredano, excuse me for interrupting, but your time is up. I would ask you to finish your statement. I am sure you will have the opportunity to share more information during the question period.

[Gianluca Campofredano]

Okay. I’m sorry, I didn’t realize how much time had passed.

I will have time to talk about the rest, but I want to thank Professor Guillaume Rousseau and the members of the committee for their initiative. I especially thank member of Parliament Mario Beaulieu for his invitation. I also thank my colleagues Évan Boocaart and Sophia Toutant for their participation and for organizing this testimony.

[The Chair, Liberal, Yvan Baker]

Thank you very much.

I will now give the floor to Ms. Arseneau‑Sluyter for five minutes.

[Nicole Arseneau-Sluyter, President, Acadian Society of New Brunswick]

Mr. Chair, members of the committee, I am an Acadian who has lived in Saint John, New Brunswick, for almost 40 years. It is a predominantly English-speaking city where living in French is never taken for granted. It is a conscious choice that we make every morning with pride and determination. I know this reality very well, having to defend my language in everyday actions and to seek services in French. It is on behalf of the many Acadians and francophones who make this same choice every day despite the challenges that I speak before you.

During the study of the former bill C‑13, parliamentarians and stakeholders focused their efforts on part VII of the Official Languages Act, and rightly so. However, this bill also gave rise to a second act, the Use of French in Federally Regulated Private Businesses Act, or UFPBA, which can also concretely help to slow the decline of French in Canada.

For the Acadian Society of New Brunswick, or SANB, this act raised a fundamental question: How to interpret the expression “strong francophone presence” in the New Brunswick context. With the submission of the proposed regulations, the SANB welcomes the proposal to apply the UFPBA throughout all of New Brunswick. Moreover, this good news is in keeping with the very spirit of the act. The preamble of the UFPBA recognizes that “the Government of Canada is committed to protecting and promoting the French language, recognizing that French is in a minority situation in Canada and North America”.

New Brunswick is not like the other provinces. It is the only officially bilingual province in the country. This reality is explicitly recognized in subsection 16(2) and section 16.1 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. These sections guarantee the equal status of the two linguistic communities. Since 2023, the modernized Official Languages Act also recognizes this unique language regime. This constitutional specificity is not a detail; it is the foundation on which all concrete action in favour of French in New Brunswick is based.

If this recognition remains symbolic, it will fail. It must trigger concrete actions that protect and strengthen this bilingualism. The demographic context is concerning. Rural exodus is hitting the province hard. Francophone communities in the north are losing residents, while the south, which is predominantly anglophone, is experiencing sustained growth.

In this context, applying the UFPBA across the entire province can produce two concrete results. First, it will promote the creation of well-paying jobs in French in francophone regions, thereby helping to retain populations where their roots run deep. It also guarantees access to French-language services throughout the province, including in predominantly anglophone regions, allowing francophones to live fully in their language on a daily basis. The SANB believes that these two results help contribute to reversing the demographic trend.

For francophones like me, this measure gives a glimmer of hope. The fact that my region could offer more services and jobs in French within federally regulated private businesses is a concrete step towards a better linguistic balance. It is in this context that Saint John becomes a symbol of what francophones experience as a minority. We are on the front lines of this daily battle. The sustainability of our language is declining in cities and workplaces, and acts like the UFPBA strengthen this sustainability, for which we at the SANB have been fighting for over 52 years.

It is with this in mind that I invite you to go further. Let’s take concrete action that allows the Canadian francophonie not only to survive but to thrive, because it is not a constraint, it is an asset. It is a strength for all of Canada.

Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Yvan Baker]

Thank you, Ms. Arseneau‑Sluyter.

We’ll now move on to the questions from the committee members.

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

[Joël Godin, Conservative, Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC]

Mr. Chair, before you start the clock, I would like to say that I proudly wear this item on my lapel to show my solidarity with you as chair, as well as with your people, on the occasion of the Ukrainian national holiday, the day of the—I will try to pronounce it correctly—vyshyvanka.

[The Chair, Liberal, Yvan Baker]

That’s perfect.

[Joël Godin, Conservative, Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC]

To make sure everyone is on the same page, this celebration takes place on May 21, but unfortunately, we will not be at the House of Commons that day. That’s why it was highlighted in the House. I wanted to take the time to mention it.

[The Chair, Liberal, Yvan Baker]

Thank you, Mr. Godin.

[Joël Godin, Conservative, Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Ms. Arseneau‑Sluyter, thank you for participating in this exercise. Mr. Campofredano, thank you as well for your opening remarks.

I will first address the witnesses from the Acadian Society of New Brunswick.

Ms. Arseneau‑Sluyter, after hearing your opening remarks, I understand that you are satisfied with the proposed regulations of the Use of French in Federally Regulated Private Businesses Act, or UFPBA. Are there any specific elements you would like to see added to strengthen, as you mentioned, the possibility for the French language to flourish throughout Canada?

I am asking you, Ms. Arseneau‑Sluyter, but also Mr. Chaisson, who is with us remotely and whom I welcome.

[Nicole Arseneau-Sluyter]

We agree that there is still a lot of work to be done in New Brunswick, just like in my region in Saint John, for the province to become bilingual.

For us, it would be really great if all customer services could be offered to us in French everywhere in the province.

[Joël Godin, Conservative, Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC]

You are talking about communication with consumers. Is that right?

[Nicole Arseneau-Sluyter]

Yes.

[Joël Godin, Conservative, Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC]

Okay. It is an important element.

Mr. Chaisson and Ms. Arseneau‑Sluyter, in paragraph 18(1)(b) and subsection 19(1) of the UFPBA, we can see that New Brunswick is subject to an exception: it is not required to disclose, among other things, information about the address of the places where consumers have access to its services.

How does this improve and enhance the influence of the French language in New Brunswick? Is it an advantage or a disadvantage?

[Ali Chaisson, Executive Director, Acadian Society of New Brunswick]

It should be beneficial.

In theory, the fact that a bank, for example, can offer services in French can only enhance the vitality of the community.

We know—I have experienced it—what it's like to be the designated francophone, the person one turns to in an emergency, or the one who has to chase after a francophone to make a will; we know what it is like to be the one desperately trying to be served in their language.

In this context, I think it could encourage new realities to emerge. What I mean is that we could step outside the framework of official languages—French, in our case here—and turn a burden into an opportunity.

For over 50 years, Canada has invested in bilingualism, in teaching French through immersion programs. We do all that. We lament students or graduates who, after 15 years in their profession, no longer speak the language they learned.

[Joël Godin, Conservative, Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chaisson. I understand that, for you, it's not a disadvantage. For my part, I believe it would be to everyone's advantage to require federally regulated businesses in your province to report this information. We are all filled with goodwill around the table, just like you are at the SANB. However, there are businesses that sometimes try to hide and not draw attention to themselves. I understand that you interpret it as being positive.

Unfortunately, I have other questions for you, but my speaking time is running out.

Mr. Campofredano, I am now going to ask you a question. In your opening remarks, you said you want both acts to be equivalent. In your opinion, after reading the two documents, are they?

[Gianluca Campofredano]

Obviously, the Charter of the French Language is concerned with promoting a single language, whereas the Use of French in Federally Regulated Private Businesses Act—

[Joël Godin, Conservative, Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC]

Let's just stay within Quebec.

We had proposed that federally regulated businesses operating in the province of Quebec be subject to Quebec's Charter of the French Language. Unfortunately, we were unable to include it in the act due to the agreement that the Quebec government made with the federal Liberal government at the time.

Wouldn't it have been easier and more effective in Quebec to let the Charter of the French Language apply? We have the expertise in Quebec. We have just broadened certain criteria. We have just created more grey areas.

[The Chair, Liberal, Yvan Baker]

I'm sorry to interrupt you, Mr. Godin. You have 10 seconds of speaking time left.

Mr. Campofredano, I'll ask you to quickly answer the question.

[Gianluca Campofredano]

Okay.

I fully agree with Mr. Godin's proposal in this respect, that is to say, that the Charter of the French Language is more comprehensive and has more bite. Moreover, there is expertise here in Quebec. So, yes, I agree with Mr. Godin's proposal.

[The Chair, Liberal, Yvan Baker]

I now give the floor to Mr. Deschênes‑Thériault for six minutes.

[Guillaume Deschênes-Thériault, Liberal, Madawaska—Restigouche, NB]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I will address the representatives of the Acadian Society of New Brunswick.

As you mentioned, the Use of French in Federally Regulated Private Businesses Act will apply throughout New Brunswick. As an Acadian from New Brunswick myself, I also share your enthusiasm about this excellent news.

I would like to hear your comments on this again: Why is it important for the act to apply throughout New Brunswick and not just in specific regions?

[Nicole Arseneau-Sluyter]

As you know, the more we speak English, the more we will speak English, and the more we speak French, the more we will speak French. In Saint John, it is really difficult to get services in French in businesses. It is difficult to see our children go to French school in a minority environment or to immersion school. When we go looking for services, the services are not there. We don't hear about them. This further contributes to the assimilation we are experiencing in New Brunswick.

As you know, the census is coming up. What is happening in New Brunswick is worrying. We will probably be less than 30% francophone.

In my opinion, this is a very positive measure to improve the situation and to slow down assimilation.