Canada’s Minister of National Defence has announced a review of a directive from 2025 that dictates the languages to be used within military workplaces due to recent concerns. The Department of National Defence (DND) and the Canadian Armed Forces revised regulations in January 2025 regarding language requirements for internal activities and services like meetings and documents. The previous system categorized units as English, French, or bilingual.
According to a blog post by the DND in late July, many organizations and units in unilingual areas faced challenges in meeting language obligations, leading to complaints and frustrations. The 2025 directive, known as DAOD 5039-2, aligned internal language requirements with the official language designation of the office location under the Official Languages Act. This change meant that only workplaces in designated bilingual regions, such as New Brunswick, the National Capital Region, and parts of northern Ontario, would be mandated to use English and French exclusively.
The modifications did not impact communication with the public or military families. The military continued to encourage the use of both official languages to promote inclusivity and uphold Canada’s linguistic diversity. The move sparked criticism from advocates and opposition parties, who viewed it as a weakening of French language protection within a major federal department.
Following the backlash, Minister of National Defence David McGuinty acknowledged the concerns and announced a review of workplace language designations. The objective of the review is to assess the application of language-of-work requirements and evaluate whether the current approach aligns with operational needs and respects the language rights of the Defence Team. The timeline for this review was not specified.
Subsequently, the Conservative Party called for an immediate repeal of the changes, highlighting the importance of ensuring that Francophone members can work, lead, and progress professionally in French regardless of their posting in predominantly English-speaking regions.