CASLT was pleased to attend the unveiling of the Action Plan for Official Languages 2023–2028: Protection – Promotion – Collaboration in Ottawa on Wednesday, April 26. The Honourable Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Minister of Official Languages and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, announced historic investments to promote official languages and official-language minority communities in Canada.
The new Action Plan allocates $1.4 billion in new investments while maintaining the $2.7 million investment in the previous Action Plan. CASLT embraces this robust and durable commitment to supporting Canadians’ opportunities to learn, live, work, and play in their second official language.
Notably, the Action Plan commits to further supporting French teacher recruitment and retention. A key component of this commitment is foreign recruitment of primary- and secondary-level French teachers. We are optimistic that this initiative will contribute to mitigating the longstanding French teacher shortage in Canada.
CASLT also welcomes the increased investments to help provinces and territories deliver programs in the minority official language at all levels. In addition, the plan provides increased support to organizations dedicated to advancing second official language acquisition and to those supporting the development and vitality of official language minority communities.
The 2023-2028 Action Plan maintains all of the established programs and funding in the previous Action Plan. These include projects that help Canadians of all ages further their bilingualism in Canada’s official languages, such as Young Canada Works, the Mauril platform, and the Odyssey and Explore programs.
CASLT will continue to work with governments and stakeholders to strive towards excellence in language teaching. We applaud the government’s sustained commitment to the core Canadian value of encouraging bilingualism.
