Statement made on 03 November 2010 by Senator Mobina Jaffer
Hon. Mobina S.B. Jaffer:
In early 2010, Canada welcomed the whole world to the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games. British Columbia was proud to host this event. Unfortunately, we have one black mark. We hosted the world well but we let down Canadians. Our duality, French and English, was not reflected at the Games. The Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages received 46 complaints regarding the Vancouver Games of which 38 were specifically about the lack of French during the opening ceremony. The office of the commissioner determined, after investigation, that these 38 complaints related to the violations of Part VII of the Official Languages Act, the law of our land.
Canadian Heritage had negotiated an agreement prior to the Games with the Vancouver Organizing Committee that contained an official languages clause. In his 2009-10 report, the commissioner deplored the fact that the clause was not more explicit regarding the reflection of Canada's linguistic duality.
Why was the language clause not more specific regarding the committee's responsibility on linguistic duality?
Please click here to read the full text of the Senator's question