Canada passes new law to promote Francophone immigration

By CIC News |

Canada has passed a new law that emphasizes the importance of the French language in Canada by prioritizing francophone immigration and minorities outside Quebec.

Bill C-13 introduces, for the first time, immigration into the Official Languages Act (OLA). The OLA is the federal statute that made English and French the official languages of Canada. The new law modernizes the Official Languages Act to recognize that French, as an official language of Canada, is being threatened and must be protected. It is divided into three parts. The first part makes amendments to the Official Languages Act, the second part regulates the use of French in federally regulated private businesses and the third part outlines the legal applications of the legislation.

The new law introduces immigration in the Official Languages Act for the first time, recognizing the importance of francophone immigration to francophone minority communities outside Quebec.

The immigration related measures include legislative changes. Particularly, the obligation for Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) to adopt a francophone immigration policy with objectives, targets, and indicators. In addition, the recognition of immigration as one of the factors that contributes to maintaining or increasing the demographic weight of Francophone minority communities.

The law also gives individuals working in federally regulated private business in Quebec, or in French minority communities outside of Quebec, the ability to work in French and be served in French. Further, the law requires that all judges appointed to the Supreme Court of Canada are bilingual in order to improve access to justice.

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