Statement made on 29 September 2009 by Senator Marie-P. Poulin (Charette)
Hon. Marie-P. Poulin:
Honourable senators, those of us of a certain age can remember the days when French and English were two solitudes. It was a time when the equality of the two languages was not obvious.
Today, the gaps between the two languages have been closed thanks to action that focused on a committed future. Yes, concerned leaders took action so that the history and culture of the Canada we know would reflect a past conveyed by language.
This year, we mark the fortieth anniversary of that action, the Official Languages Act.
Significant progress has been made in the years since this act came into effect on September 7, 1969, designating French and English as Canada's two official languages.
My parents, the late Alphonse and Lucille Charrette, were at the forefront of the French struggle in Ontario in the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s to promote bilingualism and access to French-language services in our province. That is why I am so proud to have been able to see the day when the efforts of the earliest defenders of minority rights paid off.
As for me, following in their footsteps, I had the privilege of playing a central role in setting up a regional station for Radio-Canada in northern Ontario in 1978. Technology gave the francophone minority access to radio and television services in its own language.
The question is: Would this decision have been made without the Official Languages Act?
Honourable senators, the benefits of that seminal event are evident in this place where we work, and in the nearly 200 federal institutions that are subject to the Official Languages Act. However, despite advancements in the equality of status and use of both languages, we must be vigilant. The Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages, in its 2008-09 report card, noted that many institutions are not adequately meeting their linguistic obligations.
As we celebrate the fortieth anniversary of the act, let us ensure, as parliamentarians in the Senate of Canada, through our standing committee, that the letter of the law is respected as well as its intent and purpose. Additionally, let us celebrate the fact that this act gave Canada its international trademark.
As John Erskine, the President of the Canadian Association of Second Language Teachers, stated this month:
The Official Languages Act sets Canada apart from any other nation. It has shaped our Canadian society and institutions. In pan-Canadian polls, youth enthusiastically endorse and support the importance of a bilingual Canada and language research demonstrates the academic, social and societal benefits of bilingualism.