Preliminary Analysis of Bill C-13, An Act for the Substantive Equality of Canada's Official Languages

Like Bill C-32, the Bill retains the same overall purposes and structure of the OLA. As with Bill C-32, the Bill sets out several new Preamble clauses, additions to the OLA’s purpose clause, and new interpretive clauses. These are all largely the same as Bill C-32, although the Bill adds a few additional clauses. In the discussion below, there is no change from C-32 except where otherwise indicated. The Bill adds the following policy priorities to the OLA: First, the protection and promotion of the French language; second, the addition of new interpretive clauses; third, the continued recognition of English and French linguistic minority communities (OLMC’s); third, the recognition of provincial language regimes including the Charter of the French Language. Finally, the Bill adds additional mention of Indigenous languages and a mention that the OLA applies in emergencies