Official Languages Committee on June 9th, 2026

[The Chair, Liberal, Yvan Baker]

However, Ms. Lachance may submit a written response to the committee. Unfortunately, I must move on to the next member.

Thank you, Mr. Godin.

I give the floor to Ms. Mingarelli for four minutes.

[Giovanna Mingarelli, Liberal, Prescott—Russell—Cumberland, ON]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Ms. Lachance and Ms. Lorrain, thank you for joining us today.

What are the main obstacles that francophone Albertans have faced when they wanted to work or be served in French?

[Nathalie Lachance]

When it comes to services in French, I'm thinking about the lack of an active offer. Unless we recognize the accent of the person serving us, we won't ask for service in French. That's why we sometimes find ourselves in a situation where two francophones are speaking to each other in English.

This brings me to the issue of the possibility of working in French. The challenge we face is the lack of recognition of the value of being able to speak two languages—of seeing this as an added value. There is work to be done to ensure that we recognize the importance of offering services in both official languages.

[Giovanna Mingarelli, Liberal, Prescott—Russell—Cumberland, ON]

Thank you.

Do the criteria defining the term “region with a strong francophone presence” adequately reflect the geographic reality of Alberta?

[Nathalie Lachance]

You're returning to Mr. Godin's question.

When we examine the draft regulation, it's as if we had relied solely on the second point—that is, the percentage. We did not consider the issue of the number of people or the community aspect. I believe that all three of the act's criteria should be applied. In the document, it appears that an “or” was used and that the second option was simply chosen.

[Giovanna Mingarelli, Liberal, Prescott—Russell—Cumberland, ON]

Thank you.

Are some French-speaking communities in Alberta at risk of being left behind, despite their historical or cultural significance?

[Nathalie Lachance]

Absolutely.

If we fail to add regions with a strong francophone presence, we will end up with historic communities where all services are provided in English. That is the danger we face. That is why our brief really focuses on increasing the number of regions with a strong francophone presence.

It is about recognizing historic communities, truly recognizing the importance of the francophone community outside of Edmonton and Calgary. We must not limit it simply to a neighbourhood in the provincial capital.

[Giovanna Mingarelli, Liberal, Prescott—Russell—Cumberland, ON]

Thank you.

How much time do I have left, Mr. Chair?

[The Chair, Liberal, Yvan Baker]

You have one and a half minutes left.

[Giovanna Mingarelli, Liberal, Prescott—Russell—Cumberland, ON]

All right.

How can the government better promote French as an economic asset in western Canada?

[Nathalie Lachance]

There are several things that can be done. One could be to recognize the importance of trade and the role that the international francophone community can play in this regard. Another could be to build on the diversity of the francophone community in Alberta.

For example, in Alberta, a company now offers its plumbing services in both official languages. I think there are businesses—and this isn't a federal matter—that recognize there is a francophone population. If these people are served in French and feel a connection to the language being used, they'll use their services more regularly.

[Giovanna Mingarelli, Liberal, Prescott—Russell—Cumberland, ON]

Thank you.

I will now ask my final question.

What improvements would you like to see to the act or its regulations to better meet the needs of francophones in Alberta?

[The Chair, Liberal, Yvan Baker]

You have 25 seconds left.

[Nathalie Lachance]

I will focus on the regulations. The provision regarding regions with a significant francophone presence must be amended to reflect the needs of the francophone community in Alberta.

[Giovanna Mingarelli, Liberal, Prescott—Russell—Cumberland, ON]

Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Yvan Baker]

Thank you, Ms. Mingarelli.

On behalf of the committee, I would like to thank you, Ms. Lachance and Ms. Laurin. I am very pleased to see you, and I know this feeling is shared by everyone. Every time I meet with you, whether in Alberta or here, I learn a great deal. I think it helps the committee a lot when you come to meet with us.

We thank you for the work you do and for your testimony today.

[Nathalie Lachance]

Thank you very much.

[The Chair, Liberal, Yvan Baker]

Colleagues, we're going to take a short break. Our next witnesses are attending in person. The meeting will resume in a few minutes.

[The Chair, Liberal, Yvan Baker]

Colleagues, welcome back to meeting number 39 of the Standing Committee on Official Languages.

Pursuant to Standing Order 108(3)(f) and the motion adopted on April 12, 2026, we are continuing our study on the draft regulations on the use of French in federally regulated private businesses.

Before welcoming our witnesses, I have been remiss because I didn't do something earlier. I always welcome members who aren't permanent members and are substituting in on our committee, and I'd like to welcome Mr. Kram and Mr. Gourde to our committee for today's session. Thank you for being with us.

I'd now like to welcome our witnesses for today.

From Talking. Advocating. Living in Quebec, we have Eva Ludvig, president, and Marion Sandilands, lawyer.

Welcome. You'll have five minutes to give an opening statement, after which we'll go to questions from members of Parliament.

The floor is yours for five minutes.

[Eva Ludvig, President, TALQ]

Thank you.

I will just point out that the name of the organization is TALQ. It doesn't have an acronym. That's just a tag line. It's a play on the word “talk”.

[The Chair, Liberal, Yvan Baker]

That's wonderful.

You prefer TALQ, rather than “Talking. Advocating. Living in Quebec.”

[Eva Ludvig]

Yes.

[The Chair, Liberal, Yvan Baker]

TALQ, it is.

The floor is yours.

[Eva Ludvig]

Thank you.

Good afternoon, Mr. Chair and members of the committee.

Thank you for the opportunity to appear here on behalf of TALQ, which represents Canada's English linguistic minority community, the English-speaking community of Quebec. I am TALQ's president, Eva Ludvig, and with me is our counsel, Marion Sandilands.

Before turning to the regulations, I would note briefly that this committee plays an important role in examining Canada's official language framework, including the Official Languages Act and the issues affecting official language minority communities. We appreciate the opportunity to contribute to your work.

More than half of Canadians living in official language minority communities are English-speaking Quebeckers. Our community is a significant part of Canada's official languages landscape, and TALQ welcomes opportunities to bring its perspectives to your deliberations.

TALQ supports measures to protect and promote French in Canada. However, that is not the issue we are debating today. French deserves ongoing support, and the federal government has a legitimate role to play in this regard.

Our concern is the model established in the Use of French in Federally Regulated Private Businesses Act and the regulations before you. In our view, this framework marks a significant departure from Canada's traditional approach to linguistic duality in federal jurisdiction.

Historically, federal language policy has treated English and French together, grounded in linguistic duality and respect for both official language minority communities. The new regime instead creates detailed protection for French in federally regulated private businesses without corresponding protections for Quebec's English-speaking minority. That shift moves federal policy toward a more territorial approach within federal sectors.

The proposed regulations also introduce a substantial compliance regime: declarations, filings, committees, assessments and enforcement mechanisms. While large firms may manage this, smaller businesses and new entrants may face added costs and complexity. This is significant because federally regulated sectors like banking, telecommunications, transport and logistics depend on national integration and predictable rules. A Quebec-specific compliance layer will have real operational consequences.

One likely impact is on labour markets. The regime will increase incentives for French-first staffing and advancement. While this benefits bilingual workers, unilingual or weaker-French English-speaking Quebeckers, newcomers integrating through English and some older workers may face reduced access to opportunities in these sectors.

These industries have historically provided English-speaking Quebeckers with access to Canada-wide employment while remaining rooted in Quebec. Any narrowing of that access has implications for income, mobility and confidence in federal institutions.

There is also a service dimension. The act strengthens the right to receive service in French, but does not create an equivalent right in English in Quebec. In some markets, English service will continue, but in others it may become less consistent or more discretionary, particularly affecting vulnerable community members.

Citizens, business employees and minority communities are entitled to know how federal law will operate. There's also a part VII issue. The minister has obligations not only to promote French, but also to enhance the vitality of both official language minority communities, including Quebec's English-speaking community. We therefore believe implementation should have been accompanied by a clear part VII analysis, setting out consultations, evidence, impacts and mitigation measures. Without it, Parliament cannot assess whether the regime is fully consistent with the Official Languages Act.

This committee has an ongoing role under section 37 of the act to review implementation, including its effects on Quebec's English-speaking community. To support that role, the regulations should include robust monitoring and reporting mechanisms that enable Parliament and the public to assess real-world impacts.

[The Chair, Liberal, Yvan Baker]

Ms. Ludvig, I hate to interrupt you.

We're at about five and a half minutes now, so we're over time. Could I ask you to wrap up?

Then we'll go to questions from members. You'll have an opportunity in that question-and-answer period to add more content. I just want to respect the time.