Canada’s defense minister has announced a review of a directive from 2025 that determines the languages used in military workplaces due to recent concerns. The Department of National Defense (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 categorized as English, French, or both.

According to a DND blog post in late July, many organizations and units in unilingual regions faced challenges in meeting language obligations, leading to complaints and frustration. The directive, known as DAOD 5039-2, came into effect in January 2025, aligning internal language requirements with the Official Languages Act’s designation based on the office location’s language.

Under the new rules, only workplaces in designated bilingual regions, such as New Brunswick, the National Capital Region, and parts of northern Ontario, are mandated to use English and French exclusively. These changes do not impact communication with the public or military families. The military still promotes the use of both official languages to enhance inclusivity and respect for Canada’s linguistic diversity.

Following criticism from advocates and opposition parties, Minister of National Defense David McGuinty stated that he takes concerns about the directive seriously and has initiated a review of workplace language designations. McGuinty emphasized that the review will assess the application of language-of-work requirements and ensure alignment with operational needs while upholding the language rights of the Defense Team. The timeline for the review was not specified.

On the same day, the Conservative Party urged McGuinty to revoke the changes immediately, asserting that Francophone members should not lose their ability to work, lead, or progress professionally in French when stationed in predominantly English-speaking regions.