Kelly Burke started in her role as Official Languages Commissioner on March 30.Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press
The new official languages watchdog says Canada needs a governor-general who is fully bilingual in English and French, given the strong, symbolic role of the office, which involves a mix of ceremonial, constitutional and other duties.
Official Languages Commissioner Kelly Burke says Prime Minister Mark Carney must follow through on his recent commitment to recommend the appointment of a governor-general fluent in French and English as a successor to Mary Simon, who has been criticized for not being fluent in French.
Ms. Simon, Canada’s first Indigenous Governor-General, who was appointed in 2021, is fluent in English and Inuktitut, one of Canada’s principal Inuit languages.
“When our leaders speak only in one official language, an important number of Canadians simply don’t understand or do not feel included in the discussion,” Ms. Burke said in a statement responding to a Globe and Mail query.
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“In my view, it is very important that the Governor General of Canada communicate effectively in both official languages, both as a skill and as a symbol of Canadian identity and linguistic equality,” said Ms. Burke, who started in her role as commissioner on March 30.
She noted that the Official Languages Act does not create a personal obligation for the governor-general, but it’s critical that the person in the role embody its values.
While there has been no official announcement about Ms. Simon’s exit after five years on the job, her husband, Whit Fraser, told The Globe and Mail last month that the couple is looking for new accommodations outside Rideau Hall, the residence for governors-general.
Governor-General Mary Simon, right, with her husband Whit Fraser in Iqaluit in 2024.Dustin Patar/The Canadian Press
The appointments generally last for five years.
In an interview with Radio-Canada this month, Mr. Carney said he would “absolutely” commit to naming a governor-general candidate who speaks both of the country’s official languages.
Ms. Burke says the office of the commissioner received an “important volume” of complaints after Ms. Simon’s nomination and when both official languages have not been used equally in Ms. Simon’s speeches.
“I think this speaks to the importance, for Canadians, that both official languages are used and promoted by leaders and senior officials,” she said.
Asked about the commissioner’s comments, Julie Rocheleau, a spokesperson for Ms. Simon, said that since she was appointed, the Governor-General has put in a great deal of effort to learn and practise French regularly and continues to do so.
Ms. Rocheleau said in a statement that the Office of the Secretary to the Governor-General continues to support Ms. Simon in her efforts to learn French.
“Governor-General Simon remains committed to improving, and is grateful for the encouragement, patience and kindness so many francophones and Canadians have shown her along the way,” the statement said.
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Ms. Rocheleau also said the Office of the Secretary to the Governor-General is committed to Canada’s linguistic duality and to the values set out in the Official Languages Act.
Former prime minister Justin Trudeau recommended the appointment of Ms. Simon in 2021 to Queen Elizabeth II. When pressed on Ms. Simon’s lack of French, Mr. Trudeau said she had committed to taking lessons to learn the language.
The governor-general represents Canada’s monarch, now King Charles, in Canada, and is appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of the prime minister.
The role comes with duties that include signing cabinet orders, granting royal assent to bills, delivering the Speech from the Throne, receiving the credentials of diplomats and considerable travel both nationally and internationally.
As Official Languages Commissioner, Ms. Burke acts as an agent of Parliament to ensure the key objectives of the Official Languages Act are met.
They include ensuring the quality of English and French in federal institutions and clarifying the official languages obligations of federal institutions, advancing the equality of English and French in Canadian society, and promoting the future of French in Quebec.
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Ms. Burke is a former French immersion teacher and lawyer with 25 years experience in the Ontario public service, largely dealing with francophone affairs.
During his interview with The Globe and Mail, Mr. Fraser was blunt when asked about the Governor-General’s ability to speak French.
“I would only say this to people who want to continue to criticize the Governor-General’s inability or struggles with French: How was their own lessons in Inuktitut, or Cree or Algonquin or Blackfoot or Squamish? How are those lessons going along?” Mr. Fraser said.
“It was the hypocrisy that riled me and still does.”
He added: “Please don’t let me diminish the importance of French, but I always want to focus on the importance of having another language. I think that has been very positive.”