As a result of their deliberations committees may make recommendations which they include in their reports for the consideration of the House of Commons or the Government. Recommendations related to this study are listed below.

Recommendation 1

That the Governor in Council make an order to set language requirements for Governor in Council appointments to ensure that the language profile corresponds to the three categories of language proficiency used at the Parliament of Canada and within the federal public service –reading comprehension, written expression and oral competency (comprehension and expression) – and to the three levels of language proficiency that are applicable – basic (A), intermediate (B) and advanced (C). That the order provide clarifications on assessing the language proficiency of candidates and incumbents.

Recommendation 2

That the Governor in Council make an order requiring that all future Governor in Council appointments have a language profile and that the language proficiency to be achieved be designated as advanced (“Level C”) for reading comprehension, intermediate (“Level B”) for written expression and advanced (“Level C”) for oral competency (comprehension and expression). In order to ensure consistency with the Public Service Official Languages Exclusion Approval Order, that incumbents be given two years to attain the level of language proficiency required, at public expense. The Committee also recommends that the order provide clarifications on assessing the language proficiency of candidates and incumbents.

Recommendation 3

That, to harmonize section 34(2) of the Official Languages Act with the order to establish a language profile for Governor in Council appointments as described in Recommendation 2, the President of the Treasury Board table a bill to amend Part V of the Official Languages Act (the Act) as follows:

• a) Clarify section 34(2) by defining the expression “be able to speak and understand clearly both official languages”; and
• b) Strike out the words “a department named in Schedule I to the Financial Administration Act” and replace them with “institutions subject to the Official Languages Act.”.

Recommendation 4

That, to harmonize the Language Skills Act with the order to establish a language profile for Governor in Council appointments as described in Recommendation 2, the Government of Canada table a bill to amend the Language Skills Act to define the expression “be able to speak and understand clearly both official languages.”.

Recommendation 5

To attract more bilingual employees within the public service that could move into management positions, the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat should seriously consider calls from public service unions to increase the bilingualism bonus, which has not been adjusted since 1977.

Recommendation 6

That the Treasury Board increase internal capacity within the federal public service to offer language training to federal public servants and that it improve the quality of training in order to promote language learning.

Recommendation 7

That the President of the Treasury Board and the Minister of Official Languages develop measures to promote partnerships with French or bilingual post-secondary institutions and institutions that offer French as a second language programs in order to support the next generation and expand the bilingual capacity of the federal public service.