Celebrate
Official Languages
Day ...
everyday!
What is Official Languages Day?
In 2009, the former Clerk of the Privy Council, Wayne G. Wouters, declared the second Thursday in September “Linguistic Duality Day” across the Public Service of Canada. In 2022, it was renamed “Official Languages Day” by the Clerk of the Privy Council, Janice Charette. This day is an opportunity to promote our official languages and celebrate our rich linguistic heritage across the country.
The Council of the Network of Official Languages Champions has partnered with the Linguistic Duality Network to organize this event so that it can be celebrated beyond the public service throughout Canadian society.
Join us September 11 2025 at 1:30 p.m. ET
Official Languages Day: Uniting Around Canadian Books
Official Languages Day is an opportunity to promote English and French and celebrate our rich linguistic heritage across the country. This annual event highlights the central role official languages play in shaping Canadian identity and the values of the public service.
Under the theme Uniting Around Canadian Books, the event highlights the diversity of Canadian voices and the importance of literature in discovering, learning about and building bridges between the two broad official language communities.
Participants will discover diverse talent and literary works that reflect different Canadian realities, and will appreciate new perspectives on the role literature plays in Canadian intercultural dialogue. The experience relayed through literature thus becomes a powerful lever for better understanding how recognition and appreciation of the other official language community contribute to Canada’s unity and vitality as a whole.
This event is organized by the Council of the Network of Official Languages Champions, in partnership with the Treasury Board Secretariat and the Department of Canadian Heritage, and with the collaboration of the Canada School of Public Service and the Linguistic Duality Network.
You don’t want to miss the virtual event, open to the general public, on September 11, 2025, from 1:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. (ET).
Speakers:
Elizabeth Armitage
Director General, Communications and Parliamentary Affairs & OL Champion, Public Prosecution Service Canada
Oscar Lavitt (student)
Office of the Clerk, House of Commons of Canada
Trystan Warnock-Juteau
Palaeontologist, artist, Carleton University
Blaise Ndala
Writer and Deputy Director of Investigations, Office of the Correctional Investigator of Canada
Joanne Larocque-Poirier
Director General, Communications and Arts Engagement, Canada Council for the Arts
Moderator:
Hughie Batherson
Speaker, Comedian, and Ambassador of Bilingualism
Artist:
Raine Hamilton
Singer-songwriter and classically trained violinist
Remarks:
Isabelle Mondou
Deputy Minister, Canadian Heritage, and Champion of the Official Languages Community
Bill Matthews
Secretary of the Treasur Board
Raymond Théberge
Commissionner of Official Languages of Canada
Brigitte Gibson
Director General, Heritage Branch, Canadian Heritage, and Co-chair, Council of the Network of Official Languages Champions
Lucie Séguin
Assistant Deputy Minister, Receiver General and Pension Branch, Public Services and Procurement Canada, and Co-chair, Council of the Network of Official Languages Champions
Arianne Reza
Deputy Minister, Public Services and Procurement Canada
Celebrate Official Languages Day in schools!
The Linguistic Duality Network has prepared a few different tools for you to print and use in your classrooms*.
*These were created with grades 4 – 8 in mind, but could be adapted for a wider age range.
Schools who registered in advance also received special Official Languages Day kits in the mail! Missed your chance this year? Make sure to sign up for our mailing list to be the first to know for 2026!