LANG Committee Report

(3)

Co-Clerks of the Committee

December 8, 1999

OTTAWA ¾ The Standing Joint Committee on Official Languages adopted the following resolution in Committee on December 7, 1999:

BE IT RESOLVED, ¾ That, in the opinion of the Standing Joint Committee on Official Languages of the Senate and the House of Commons of Canada, the Ontario legislature should determine, by way of legislation, that the City of Ottawa, as Canada's capital, has two official languages, English and French.

The Committee agreed, that, while matters concerning municipalities are within the jurisdiction of the provinces, Ottawa, as the capital of Canada, presents a special case and should reflect the bilingual nature of Canada through its two official languages, English and French.

For further information:

Luc Bégin

Co-Clerk of the Committee

Senate

993-4874

or

Miriam Burke

Co-Clerk of the Committee

House of Commons

947-6728

                    TRANSLATION

                    Ottawa, Ontario

                    December 8, 1999

The Right Honourable Jean Chrétien, P.C., M.P.
Prime Minister of Canada
309-S, Centre Block
Parliament of Canada
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0A6

Dear Prime Minister,

At the meeting of the Standing Joint Committee on Official Languages of the Senate and the House of Commons of Canada on December 7, 1999, the Committee adopted the following resolution:

BE IT RESOLVED, — That, in the opinion of the Standing Joint Committee on Official Languages of the Senate and the House of Commons of Canada, the Ontario legislature should determine, by way of legislation, that the City of Ottawa, as Canada's capital, has two official languages, English and French.

The Committee agreed, that while matters concerning municipalities are within the jurisdiction of the provinces, the City of Ottawa, as the capital of Canada, presents a special case and should reflect the bilingual nature of Canada through the use of its two official languages, English and French.

An extract of the relevant Minutes of Proceedings (Meeting No. 3) is attached.

The Committee will table a report in the Senate and the House of Commons informing the two Chambers of the Committee's resolution.

Yours sincerely,

Hon. Rose-Marie Losier-Cool, Senator

Co-Chair

Raymonde Folco, M.P.

Co-Chair

c.c. The Honourable Sheila Copps, M.P.

Minister of Canadian Heritage

December 8, 1999

The Honourable Michael D. Harris
Premier and President of the Council
Legislative Building
Queen's Park
Toronto, Ontario

M7A 1A1

Dear Premier,

At the meeting of the Standing Joint Committee on Official Languages of the Senate and the House of Commons of Canada on December 7, 1999, the Committee adopted the following resolution:

BE IT RESOLVED, — That, in the opinion of the Standing Joint Committee on Official Languages of the Senate and the House of Commons of Canada, the Ontario legislature should determine, by way of legislation, that the City of Ottawa, as Canada's capital, has two official languages, English and French.

The Committee agreed, that while matters concerning municipalities are within the jurisdiction of the provinces, the City of Ottawa, as the capital of Canada, presents a special case and should reflect the bilingual nature of Canada through the use of its two official languages, English and French.

An extract of the relevant Minutes of Proceedings (Meeting No. 3) is attached.

 The Committee will table a report in the Senate and the House of Commons informing the two Chambers of the Committee's resolution.

Yours sincerely,

Hon. Rose-Marie Losier-Cool, Senator

Co-Chair

Raymonde Folco, M.P.

Co-Chair

c.c. The Honourable Norman Sterling