Canada’s Minister of National Defence has announced a review of a directive from 2025 that dictates the languages permitted in military workplaces due to recent concerns. The Department of National Defence (DND) and the Canadian Armed Forces made changes in January 2025 regarding language requirements for internal activities and services like meetings and documents. Previously, units were classified as English, French, or both.
According to a blog post by the DND in late July, numerous organizations and units in unilingual regions faced challenges in meeting language obligations, leading to complaints and frustrations. The directive, known as DAOD 5039-2, which took effect in January 2025, aligned internal language requirements with the language designation of the office location under the Official Languages Act. This meant that only workplaces in officially bilingual regions like New Brunswick, the National Capital Region, and parts of northern Ontario were mandated to use English and French exclusively.
Notably, these changes did not impact communication with the public or military families, with the military still promoting the use of both official languages to enhance inclusion and respect for Canada’s linguistic diversity. The recent scrutiny and backlash from advocates and opposition parties regarding the perceived weakening of French language protection in a major federal department prompted Minister of National Defence David McGuinty to address the situation.
In response to the concerns, Minister McGuinty stated that he is initiating a review of workplace language designations to assess their application and alignment with operational needs and language rights within the Defence Team. While no specific timeline was provided for the review, the Conservative Party has urged for an immediate repeal of the changes, emphasizing the importance of maintaining the ability for Francophone members to work, lead, and progress professionally in French regardless of their posting location in predominantly English-speaking regions.
