New Brunswick Lieutenant Governor Must Be Bilingual

Summary#

This bill adds the Lieutenant Governor of New Brunswick to the list of positions that must be bilingual under the federal Language Skills Act. Anyone appointed to that office must “speak and understand clearly” both English and French at the time of appointment (Bill, Clause 1; Language Skills Act, s.2). It also covers any temporary administrator appointed to carry on the government of the province. The bill includes coordination rules so it fits cleanly with Bill S-220 on the Governor General, if that bill also becomes law (Coordinating Amendments (2)-(4)).

• Requires the Lieutenant Governor of New Brunswick to be bilingual at appointment (Bill, Clause 1).
• Extends the same requirement to any administrator who acts in that role (Bill, Clause 1).
• Applies at the time of appointment; it does not change the status of a current office holder (Language Skills Act, s.2).
• No appropriations or new programs are created by the bill.
• If Bill S-220 (Governor General) also passes, this bill’s numbering adjusts; the substance remains the same (Coordinating Amendments (2)-(4)).
• Aligns the office with New Brunswick’s constitutional bilingual status (Constitution Act, 1982, s.16.1).

What it means for you#

• Households (New Brunswick):

  • The Lieutenant Governor will be able to address you in English or French at public events, meetings, and in official communications (Language Skills Act, s.2).
  • This applies once a new appointment is made after the bill takes effect; it does not retroactively change current office holders (Language Skills Act, s.2).

• Workers and applicants:

  • People considered for Lieutenant Governor or for a temporary administrator role in New Brunswick must already be able to speak and understand both official languages clearly at appointment (Bill, Clause 1).
  • There is no training or grace period in the bill; the skill must exist on day one (Language Skills Act, s.2).

• Businesses and community groups:

  • Interactions with the Lieutenant Governor’s office (e.g., ceremonies, awards, patronage letters) can occur in either official language once a new bilingual appointee takes office (Language Skills Act, s.2).
  • No new fees, forms, or reporting requirements.

• Federal and provincial institutions:

  • The Governor in Council must ensure a candidate meets the bilingual standard before appointment (Language Skills Act, s.2; Bill, Clause 1).
  • If Bill S-220 also becomes law, the coordination clauses prevent conflicts in the Language Skills Act’s numbering; operational requirements are unchanged (Coordinating Amendments (2)-(4)).

• Timing:

  • The bill contains no delayed coming-into-force clause; federal acts without such a clause come into force on Royal Assent. The bilingual requirement would apply to future appointments made after that date (Bill text shows no separate coming-into-force provision; application at “time of appointment” per Language Skills Act, s.2).

Expenses#

Estimated net cost: Data unavailable.

• No explicit appropriations, taxes, or fees are in the bill (Bill text).
• The bill creates an appointment condition but no program or enforcement unit (Language Skills Act, s.2 as amended).
• Any administrative screening costs for language ability are not stated. Data unavailable.

Proponents' View#

• Ensures the Crown’s representative in Canada’s only constitutionally bilingual province can serve the public in both official languages from day one (Constitution Act, 1982, s.16.1; Language Skills Act, s.2).
• Brings the office in line with other high federal offices already covered by the Language Skills Act, such as the Auditor General (Language Skills Act, s.2).
• Provides clear, enforceable expectations by requiring ability to “speak and understand clearly” both official languages at the time of appointment (Language Skills Act, s.2).
• Covers temporary administrators as well, so bilingual service continues during vacancies or absences (Bill, Clause 1).
• Coordination clauses avoid inconsistencies if the Governor General bilingual bill (S-220) also passes (Coordinating Amendments (2)-(4)).

Opponents' View#

• Limits the pool of eligible candidates to those already bilingual, which could narrow choices or lengthen appointment timelines; the bill offers no training or transition path (Language Skills Act, s.2).
• The phrase “speak and understand clearly” is not defined in the Act, which may lead to inconsistent assessments or disputes about who qualifies (Language Skills Act, s.2).
• Imposes a hard condition at appointment that could exclude otherwise well-qualified candidates who could reach proficiency quickly but are not yet there (Language Skills Act, s.2).
• The bill does not set out how language ability will be verified, leaving process design and any related costs to the appointing authority (Language Skills Act, s.2; Bill text).