Canada’s Minister of Defence has announced a review of a 2025 directive that dictates the languages used in military workplaces due to recent concerns. In January 2025, the Department of National Defence (DND) and the Canadian Armed Forces revised regulations regarding language use for internal activities and services like meetings and documentation. Previously, units were categorized as English, French, or both.
According to a DND blog post in late July, organizations and units in unilingual regions faced challenges in meeting language requirements, leading to complaints and frustrations. The directive, officially called DAOD 5039-2, was implemented in January 2025. It aligned internal language mandates with the language designation of the office location as per the Official Languages Act.
Under the new directive, only workplaces in officially bilingual regions such as New Brunswick, the National Capital Region, and parts of northern Ontario were required to use English and French exclusively. These changes did not impact communication with the public or military families. The military continued to endorse the use of both official languages to promote inclusivity and uphold Canada’s linguistic diversity.
Following criticism from advocates and opposition parties regarding the perceived weakening of French language protection, Defence Minister David McGuinty stated that he is taking concerns seriously and has initiated a review of workplace language designations. The review aims to assess the application of language-of-work requirements and ensure they align with operational needs while respecting the language rights of the Defence Team.
The timeline for this review was not specified in the announcement. The Conservative Party called for an immediate repeal of the changes, emphasizing the importance of allowing Francophone members to work, lead, and progress in French even in predominantly English-speaking regions.
