Official Languages committee  Yes. Actually, I'm currently sitting in Winnipeg, so I know Manitoba really well, just to let you know. Our regional offices offer a number of official-languages services in the northern communities in the provinces, whether it's in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, or British Columbia.

Official Languages committee  It's certainly a thought-provoking question. Canada still has two official languages, the two languages in which its national conversation is conducted. Unless I'm mistaken, people have to speak one official language or the other to immigrate to Canada, so it is up to them to choose which one.

Official Languages committee  The government has the translation bureau, but it's an organization that must—

Official Languages committee  The translation bureau operates on a cost recovery basis. Some federal institutions rely on outside firms for translation. We recommended that the translation bureau provide expedited translation services in emergencies. I feel strongly that the translation bureau should have the resources it needs to do its job.

Official Languages committee  It varies enormously, depending on the analysis we have to do of the admissibility of each complaint. Some complaints are dealt with almost immediately, while others even require a legal opinion to determine whether they are admissible. It varies, but typically we are able to advise complainants fairly quickly that their complaint is admissible.

Official Languages committee  We will undoubtedly receive more. When the pandemic was declared, we were quick to reach out to all the deputy ministers and organization heads to impress upon them the importance of meeting their official languages obligations. From the outset, we approached certain institutions directly, and as a result, they changed their practices straightaway.

Official Languages committee  As you mentioned, we received 100 or so complaints, and a certain number were deemed admissible. They are all at different stages of the process. It is always hard to say when a complaint will be resolved; the timing of the preliminary report, the final report and so on is hard to predict.

Official Languages committee  When a traveller arrives from abroad, they obviously have to self-isolate for 14 days. Providing people with the information in only one official language can cause problems. Let's be clear, an individual can say they are bilingual, but not everyone's bilingual skills are equal; a person is always better in one language than the other.

Official Languages committee  I can definitely talk to you about it. The official languages maturity model is a self-diagnostic tool made available to federal institutions. We have noted that the vast majority of them were unaware of their strengths and weaknesses when it comes to integrating official languages into their activities.

Official Languages committee  Of course, people are travelling a bit less this year. We are seeing an increase in complaints related to communications with respect to COVID-19 and the language of work. Those are the two areas where complaints are increasing. Although the travelling public is less affected, there were shortcomings in terms of information dissemination in both official languages when Canadians returned to the country in March and April.

Official Languages committee  I would say that Canadians are very aware of their language rights and, given that awareness, they are taking action.

Official Languages committee  Campus Saint-Jean in Alberta is an example of how important institutions are to ensuring the vitality of our official language minority communities. When it comes to the Official Languages Act, and to the development and vitality of our communities, positive measures are often brought up.

Official Languages committee  An important vector in the development of our communities is in fact the education continuum. When I say the education continuum, I am talking about education from early childhood to the post-secondary level. Each point of entry is an opportunity to support the development of those communities.

Official Languages committee  When I speak of the two official languages, I am also alluding to the concept of linguistic duality. When I talk about that linguistic duality, I'm also referring to those two majorities. For a few years now, I have been noticing less and less communication and understanding between those two majorities.

Official Languages committee  Thank you for that question. I won't speak at length on the modernization of the act. However, to answer your specific question, two parts of the act are very affected. The first is part IV, which concerns communication with the public and service delivery in both official languages.