Transfer of Official Languages Duties

Summary#

Transfer of Duties Order: SI/2021-91 is a federal order registered on November 10, 2021 (issued as P.C. 2021-946 on October 26, 2021). It moves certain responsibilities under the Official Languages Act from one ministerial role to another inside the federal government.

What it does#

• Transfers the powers, duties and functions under the Official Languages Act that had been with the Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages to the Minister of State (Official Languages).
• Makes that transfer under the authority of the Public Service Rearrangement and Transfer of Duties Act and refers back to an earlier Order in Council (P.C. 2019-1368 of November 20, 2019) that had originally assigned those duties.

Who's affected#

• Federal ministers and officials who work on language policy and program delivery.
• Federal departments and programs involved in implementing the Official Languages Act.
• Community groups, advocacy organizations and members of the public who follow or rely on federal official‑language services may notice who speaks for or coordinates those files.
• If it is unclear exactly which day-to-day tasks or staff move, that detail is not given in the order.

Why it matters#

• It changes which minister is formally responsible for the federal government's duties under the Official Languages Act.
• That affects who answers questions in Parliament, who is the public contact for official‑language issues, and how the files are managed inside government.
• For most people this is an internal administrative change, but it can matter to communities and organizations that track or rely on official‑language programs and enforcement.