International Association of Language Commissioners

In May 2013, the Commissioner attended the International Conference on Language Rights in Dublin, Ireland. This conference, whose theme was “sharing best practices”, was an opportunity to discuss language policies and the implementation of each jurisdiction’s laws concerning the protection of minorities and the preservation of their linguistic heritage.

In attending the conference, the Commissioner was able to share the Ontario government’s exemplary practices regarding Francophones’ language rights. In particular, it provided an opportunity to talk about the concept of a minority and the definition of a Francophone in Ontario. The first annual conference of the International Association of Language Commissioners was held in Barcelona, Spain, in March 2014.

As a founding member, the Commissioner was invited to the Association’s official launch, during which he gave a speech as part of a panel discussion on the impact of investigations. It was an opportunity to talk about the importance of using the powers he has under the French Language Services Act to conduct investigations and make recommendations in order to improve the quality and availability of the Ontario government’s French-language services.