October 16th 2017 - Study on Canadians’ views about modernizing the Official Languages Act - Pierre Foucher, Professor, Faculty of Law from the University of Ottawa
Senator Poirier: Thank you for your presentation; it was very interesting. I had three questions, but you have already answered two of them. The first was about greater powers for the Commissioner of Official Languages, and the second was about the usefulness of fines. So I will go straight to my third question.
For the past year, someone has occupied the position of Commissioner of Official Languages on an acting basis. That acting mandate will end tomorrow. The last I heard, the government has not yet appointed anyone. In your opinion, should the act be amended to prevent this from happening again?
Mr. Foucher: Yes. I did not have time to say it, but that was in the documents I distributed. It could be established that the position of Commissioner of Official Languages could not be vacant for more than one year.