Press Release Department: Federal - Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages

Canada’s Commissioner of Official Languages Graham Fraser and Ontario’s French Language Services Commissioner François Boileau signed an agreement that will allow their organizations to optimize their support to the citizens and communities they serve. The memorandum of understanding signed by commissioners Fraser and Boileau is unprecedented in Canada. It will allow their two offices to … Read more

In the lead-up to Canada's 150th birthday, Commissioner of Official Languages Graham Fraser is recommending that Prime Minister Stephen Harper (Calgary Southwest, Alta.) double the number of young Canadians who participate each year in second-language exchanges across the country in order to promote a better understanding and appreciation of Canada's linguistic duality. The commissioner's recommendation … Read more

Commissioner of Official Languages Graham Fraser said visitors are now almost always greeted in both official languages, but Parks Canada is having a hard time providing bilingual services at parks and historic sites, according to an audit report. Fraser said the audit results were not as positive when it comes to the ability of staff … Read more

Commissioner of Official Languages Graham Fraser released Language Rights 2009-2011, a one-of-a-kind publication that reviews the major language rights decisions rendered by Canadian courts over the past two years. Fraser said with 2012 marking the 30th anniversary of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, Canadians should reflect on the impact the courts' decisions have … Read more

Commissioner of Official Languages Graham Fraser announced that he will conduct observations at major airports across the country to help determine how readily Canadians can be served in both official languages. Over 1,500 anonymous observations will be conducted in the fall of 2012 at bilingual points of service at eight major airports in Halifax, Quebec … Read more

Commissioner of Official Languages Graham Fraser is extremely satisfied with the decision handed down on Tuesday, May 29, by the Federal Court of Canada in Commissioner of Official Languages and Amellal v. CBC/Radio-Canada. Fraser said this decision puts an end to a dispute between his office and CBC/Radio-Canada that has gone on for far too long. … Read more

An audit report released by Commissioner of Official Languages Graham Fraser found Industry Canada is implementing Part VII of the Official Languages Act and has made notable progress to date. The report contains six recommendations to help Industry Canada reach its goal. Industry Canada has accepted them all and has indicated that it will implement … Read more

Official Languages Commissioner Graham Fraser announced that he will carry out a study that could lead to improvements in access to justice in both official languages for all. "Access to Justice in Both Official Languages: Improving the Bilingual Capacity of the Judiciary for Superior Courts" will be conducted in partnership with the French Language Services … Read more

Commissioner of Official Languages Graham Fraser is calling on Prime Minister Stephen Harper (Calgary Southwest, AB) to amend part of the Official Languages Act to safeguard the vitality of English and French minority communities across Canada and support Canada's linguistic duality in a context of financial constraint. The Commissioner's recommendation is included in his Annual … Read more

Canadians need a greater commitment from senior management at Air Canada in order to receive a better level of service from the airline in the official language of their choice, an audit released by the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages has found. The first full audit of Air Canada by the Office of … Read more