Strengthening bilingualism within the Defence Team

April 1, 2026 - Defence Stories

Estimated read time - 1:30

The Director Official Languages (DOL) is pleased to present the Spring 2026 edition of its quarterly newsletter (accessible only on the National Defence network).

This publication is part of DOL's ongoing initiatives to foster a sustainable culture of linguistic respect and to uphold individual official language (OL) rights within the Defence Team, in accordance with Canada's Official Languages Act (OLA) and Treasury Board policies and directives on OLs.

In this issue, Capt(N) Vincent Pellerin, DOL, highlights a key priority for the Defence Team: strengthening bilingualism across the organization. He outlines major developments, from the modernization of the Official Languages Act to the Joint Directive issued by the Chief of the Defence Staff and the Deputy Minister (accessible only on the National Defence network), which now guide institutional action.

At the heart of this transformation is a critical balance between meeting legal obligations and the operational realities of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF). This approach aims to uphold the linguistic rights of both civilian and military personnel, while maintaining a high level of operational effectiveness. In this context, linguistic duality is a true strategic asset, fostering collaboration and cohesion within the organization.

The newsletter also highlights the importance of the spring period, a key moment in the performance management cycle. These discussions between employees and supervisors provide a valuable opportunity to address not only performance objectives but also the language of supervision, helping to create a more inclusive and respectful workplace.

Madiba Omar, Official Languages Complaints Analyst, presents best practices for holding bilingual meetings and events. She provides simple and concrete advice, including the use of captioning during meetings on Teams, specifying what to do and what to avoid.

Finally, the newsletter presents new training and second language maintenance initiatives for federal employees - including the OL Learning Path, launched by the Government of Canada, and workshops offered by the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages.

DOL hopes this information will help increase understanding of OL rights and responsibilities across the Defence Team and further our commitment to complying with the OLA, notably through the sharing of best practices within our organization.

Your comments and suggestions are welcome: [email protected].