Via email: Steven.Guilbeault@parl.gc.ca
The Honourable Steven Guilbeault, P.C. M.P.
Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture and Minister responsible for Official Languages
15 Eddy Street
Gatineau, QC K1A 0M5
Dear Minister Guilbeault:
On behalf of the Constitutional and Human Rights Section, the French Speaking Common Law Members Section, the Access to Justice Subcommittee, and the Competition Law and Foreign Investment Review Section of the Canadian Bar Association (CBA Sections), please accept our congratulations on your appointment as Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture and Minister responsible for Official Languages.
The CBA is a national association of more than 40,000 lawyers, notaries, academics and law students dedicated to improving the law and the administration of justice. Our Sections and Subcommittee collectively advance constitutional rights, linguistic equality, access to justice and sound economic policy—expertise we hope will assist you as you advance your mandate. The Constitutional and Human Rights Section examines all constitutional and human rights law issues, including division of legislative powers, judicial review of the Constitution, constitutional reform, the Charter, human rights codes and international human rights law. The French Speaking Common Law Members Section promotes the practice of common law in the French language. The Access to Justice Subcommittee coordinates and integrates activities of the Association to improve and promote access to justice for the poor and middle class in Canada, facilitates information sharing about legal aid and pro bono across the country, and liaises with legal aid and pro bono organizations and CBA groups. The Competition Law and Foreign Investment Review Section comprises of 1,000 lawyers and promotes greater awareness and understanding of legal and policy issues relating to competition law and foreign investment.
Official Languages
The CBA Sections share your commitment to strengthen linguistic duality, to protect the Canadian Francophonie, and to uphold the constitutional rights of French speaking Canadians across the country. The effective implementation of Canada’s commitments to bilingualism requires strong and consistent governance.
As your portfolio includes oversight of the Office of the Commissioner for Official Languages, we look forward to the appointment of a new Commissioner, who will have a critical role in acting upon and implementing the various measures arising from the recent amendments to the Official Languages Act.
Court Challenges Program
The CBA Sections welcome your government’s commitment to expand the Court Challenges Program, a vital tool for upholding constitutional rights and promoting access to justice in Canada. The CBA has long advocated for the sustainability, independence, and scope of the Program.1 We share your view that a strong and accessible mechanism for supporting test cases under the Charter and Official Languages Act is essential to protecting Canada’s democratic values and ensuring that all individuals, regardless of means, can challenge laws and policies that may infringe their fundamental rights.
Competition Law and Cultural Industries
The Competition Law and Foreign Investment Review Section values its longstanding tradition of meeting with Heritage Canada to discuss foreign‑investment law and policy affecting Canada’s cultural industries.2 These industries face significant technological and economic changes—particularly in relation to artificial intelligence, privacy, and broader trade developments. The Competition Law and Foreign Investment Review Section would be pleased to assist your department by sharing the legal profession’s perspective as you address these rapidly evolving challenges.
We welcome the opportunity to meet with you to explore how the CBA Sections can continue to support your efforts to strengthen Canada’s cultural sector and linguistic duality.
Should it be helpful, please feel free to have your staff contact Yves Faguy, Executive Director of Advocacy at the CBA, at yvesf@cba.org.
Yours truly,
(original letter signed by Véronique Morissette for Denis Frawley, Jennifer Aik Yeow Khor, Wade Poziomka and Neil Campbell)
Denis Frawley
Chair, CBA French Speaking Common Law Members
Jennifer Khor
Chair, CBA Access to Justice Subcommittee
Wade Poziomka
Chair, CBA Constitutional and Human Rights
Neil Campbell
Chair, CBA Competition Law and Foreign Investment Review Section
cc. Hilary Leftick
Chief of Staff, Office of the Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture and Minister responsible for Official Languages (Hilary.Leftick@pch.gc.ca)
End Notes
1 See Canadian Bar Association, Resolution 06-01-A: Court Challenges Program Funding (St. John’s: CBA, 2006), online; Canadian Bar Association, Submission on Bill C-316: An Act to Amend the Department of Canadian Heritage Act (Court Challenges Program) (Ottawa: CBA, 2024), online; Canadian Bar Association, Submission on the Court Challenges Program (Ottawa: CBA, 2016), online.