The Minister responsible for Official Languages is the Minister of the Crown

Minister of the Crown

Minister of the Crown is the formal constitutional term used in the Commonwealth realms to describe a minister to the reigning sovereign. The term indicates that the minister serves at His/Her Majesty's pleasure, and advises the monarch, or viceroy, on how to exercise the Crown prerogatives...

 in the Canadian Cabinet who is entrusted with the enforcement of the Official Languages Act

Official Languages Act (Canada)

The Official Languages Act is a Canadian law that came into force on September 9, 1969, which gives English and French equal status in the government of Canada. This makes them "official" languages, having preferred status in law over all other languages...

, ensuring that government services are available in both English

English language

English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...

 and French

French language

French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...

, protecting minority language rights, particularly in the area of education, and promoting bilingualism throughout Canada

Canada

Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...

.

The current Minister responsible for Official Languages is James Moore

James Moore (Canadian politician)

James Moore, PC, MP is the Canadian Member of Parliament for Port Moody—Westwood—Port Coquitlam. He is a member of the Conservative Party of Canada...

 in Stephen Harper

Stephen Harper

Stephen Joseph Harper is the 22nd and current Prime Minister of Canada and leader of the Conservative Party. Harper became prime minister when his party formed a minority government after the 2006 federal election...

's Cabinet

Cabinet of Canada

The Cabinet of Canada is a body of ministers of the Crown that, along with the Canadian monarch, and within the tenets of the Westminster system, forms the government of Canada...

. Moore has held that role since 2008-06-25 (first as Secretary of State and, as of 2008-10-30, as Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages). Previous Ministers have been Josée Verner‎ and Mauril Bélanger

Mauril Bélanger

Mauril A. Bélanger, PC, MP is a Member of the Canadian Parliament. He is a member of the Liberal Party. Bélanger has been involved in advocacy for the rights of Franco-Ontarians....

.

In 2003 the first Minister responsible for Official Languages was sworn in, on the creation of the "Official Languages Branch of Intergovernmental Affairs" within the Privy Council Office

Privy Council Office

Privy Council Office may refer to:*Privy Council Office *Privy Council Office...

. In 2006, responsibility was shifted from the Privy Council Office to the Department of Canadian Heritage

Department of Canadian Heritage

The Department of Canadian Heritage, or simply Canadian Heritage |department]] of the Government of Canada with responsibility for policies and programs regarding the arts, culture, media, communications networks, official languages , status of women, sports , and multiculturalism...

, and the branch was renamed the "Official Languages Secretariat".

As minister responsible for official languages, Moore's portfolio includes the Official Languages Support Programs Branch (which supports the Minister in implementing Part VII of the Official Languages Act

Official Languages Act (Canada)

The Official Languages Act is a Canadian law that came into force on September 9, 1969, which gives English and French equal status in the government of Canada. This makes them "official" languages, having preferred status in law over all other languages...

) and the Official Languages Secretariat (which coordinates the Government of Canada's activities in official languages).

Sections 42 and 43 of the Official Languages Act give the Minister of Canadian Heritage

Minister of Canadian Heritage

The Minister of Canadian Heritage is the Minister of the Crown in the Canadian Cabinet who heads the Department of Canadian Heritage, the federal government department responsible for Canada's Arts, Culture, Media, Communications network, and Sport....

 the specific responsibility of taking measures to advance the equality of status and use of English and French in Canadian society; under section 44 of that Act, the Minister must submit annual reports to Parliament on the matters relating to official languages for which the Minister is responsible.

See also

• Department of Canadian Heritage
  Department of Canadian Heritage
  The Department of Canadian Heritage, or simply Canadian Heritage |department]] of the Government of Canada with responsibility for policies and programs regarding the arts, culture, media, communications networks, official languages , status of women, sports , and multiculturalism...
  
  
• Official bilingualism in Canada
• Official Languages Act (Canada)
  Official Languages Act (Canada)
  The Official Languages Act is a Canadian law that came into force on September 9, 1969, which gives English and French equal status in the government of Canada. This makes them "official" languages, having preferred status in law over all other languages...
  
  

External links

• Official Languages Support Programs (Department of Canadian Heritage web site)
• Official Languages Secretariat (Department of Canadian Heritage web site)
• Funding Opportunities — Official Languages (Department of Canadian Heritage web site)