Biography

Mr. François Boileau is currently pursuing his third mandate as French Language Services Commissioner of Ontario. His role is to receive complaints from members of the public and present recommendations regarding the application of the French Language Services Act.

Prior to beginning his mandate as Commissioner in August 2007, Mr. Boileau acted as legal counsel for the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages, with responsibility for such landmark cases as the Casimir-Solski case and the Gosselin case, which went before the Supreme Court of Canada.

The Commissioner also worked for 10 years with the Fédération des communautés francophones et acadienne du Canada (FCFA). Between 1993 and 2003, he was the director of its Quebec City office, its political and legal liaison officer, and its legal counsel. One of his most important achievements during this time was to represent the FCFA before the Ontario Court of Appeal in the Montfort case. For this case, he established strategies and provided legal coordination for each of the intervenors, including the Commissioner of Official Languages of Canada, the Association canadienne-française de l’Ontario, and the FCFA.

From 1995 to 1997, Mr. Boileau was the first Executive Director of the Winnipeg-based Court Challenges Program of Canada. There, he developed strategic priorities and operational plans. He headed up the language rights component of the program and acted as its official spokeperson. Mr. Boileau is regularly invited as a public speaker to share his expertise in the area of language rights.

In 2011, François Boileau was awarded the Order of Merit of the Association des juristes d'expression française de l'Ontario.

Since his appointment, Commissioner Boileau has worked to improve the quality of French-language services in Ontario in order to meet the needs of the Francophone community, ensure its full development, and preserve its culture.

Ontario’s French Language Services Commissioner reports directly to the Minister Responsible for Francophone Affairs, the Honourable Madeleine Meilleur. He has the power to make recommendations on matters pertaining to the application of the French Language Services Act. The mandates of the Commissioner are for 2, 3, or 5 years. His second mandate will end in September 2012, leading to his third mandate that will run for five years.

In addition to a Law Degree (LL.L.) from the University of Ottawa (1991), Mr. Boileau holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science (1988) and a Certificate in History (1985) from the Université de Montréal.

To contact the Commissioner: flsc-csf@ontario.ca or 1 866 246.5262

A Message from the Commissioner

I am proud to welcome you to our website!

For the first time, French-speaking Ontarians have another means of accessing their government through the Office of the French Language Services Commissioner. It is both a privilege and a pleasure to listen to the citizens of this province so that they can be served more adequately in their own language.

My vision of French-language services is basically one of a vital Francophone population. I believe that there is a direct connection between the development of communities and the delivery of services that are adapted to their needs and that are actively offered to them by the government and its institutions.

One of my roles is to work with the Ontario public service to improve its delivery of services in French. Since my appointment, I have raised awareness of the importance of taking Francophones into account as a distinct clientele in every part of the province. For Ontario’s Francophones, living, growing, and developing in French is of vital importance.

Together, we must be able to give the French Language Services Act its full meaning. The services of the Government of Ontario are available in French. Ask for them!

François Boileau
French Language Services Commissioner