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Decentralized Democracy

House Hansard - 41

44th Parl. 1st Sess.
March 4, 2022 10:00AM
Context: House Hansard - 41 - Mar/4/22
Mr. Darrell Samson (Sackville—Preston—Chezzetcook, Lib.)
  • Mar/4/22 11:05:00 a.m.
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  • Re: Bill C-13 
Mr. Speaker, on Tuesday, I had the great honour of being in Grand‑Pré with our Minister of Official Languages to participate in announcing the introduction of Bill C-13, an act for the substantive equality of Canada's official languages. I do not think we could have picked a better place to make the announcement than Grand‑Pré, which many people think of as the historical and spiritual heart of Acadia. The act was last reformed over 30 years ago and must be modernized to better reflect Canada's linguistic realities and promote substantive equality between English and French while contributing to the vitality of official language minority communities. This achievement was made possible thanks to the involvement of many actors and stakeholders who contributed to conversations about modernizing the act over many years. I want to thank them, and I look forward to working with my colleagues to get this important bill passed.
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Context: House Hansard - 41 - Mar/4/22
Mr. Brendan Hanley (Yukon, Lib.)
  • Mar/4/22 12:00:16 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the Official Languages Act enshrines the official language rights of all Canadians, but it needs to be stronger to really protect those rights. Would the Minister of Official Languages please tell the House if the government's modernization of the Official Languages Act includes provisions to make it stronger and more effective?
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Context: House Hansard - 41 - Mar/4/22
Mr. Marc Serré (Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Official Languages, Lib.)
  • Mar/4/22 12:00:43 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for Yukon for standing up for official language rights. Our modernized act will strengthen the powers of the Commissioner of Official Languages, including new authority to impose monetary penalties. In addition, for the first time, we are centralizing coordination of the act with a single minister who will have access to the resources of a central agency. Canadians told us these measures were needed. I am proud to say we have taken action.
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