Filing a language rights complaint

The Office of the Vice-President, Francophonie and External and Community Relations, provides uOttawa community members with a language rights complaint process in line with:

The University’s Council on French Services and Programs oversees the complaint process. It submits an annual report to the Senate and the Board of Governors.

Anyone who observes a violation of the above-mentioned language policies may file a complaint by completing the designated form or by email at [email protected].

Complaint process scope

Founded in 1848, the University of Ottawa became a public institution in 1965, with a mandate under provincial law to “further bilingualism and biculturalism and to preserve and develop French culture in Ontario.” In 1974, the University adopted the Regulation on Bilingualism, codifying the equal status of our two official languages, English and French. In 2016, the University was designated as a public service agency with regard to our French-language services and programs under Ontario’s French Language Services Act. After the Office of Vice-President, International and Francophonie, was created in 2020, consultations were held with the uOttawa community, and in 2022, the Senate and Board of Governors unanimously adopted a modernized Regulation on Bilingualism, which governs the University’s administrative operations.

In 2023, the Senate passed Academic Regulation A-1: Bilingualism, which serves as a single source for all language policies applicable to all levels of study. Also in 2023, the Government of Ontario implemented its new regulation on the active offer of services in French, which also applies to third-party service providers.

This means the academic and administrative services you receive at uOttawa are covered by the language rights complaint process. When you file a complaint, we’ll review it and inform you of the applicable language policies under the act and regulations.

All people have the right to work and communicate with the University administration in the official language of their choice. Official University communications are provided simultaneously in both languages, with French taking precedence. The Regulation on Bilingualism stipulates that all University services must always be made available in English and French, based on the principle of an active offer, and be of equal quality in both languages. The French Language Services Act enhanced this requirement, applying it to student services as well. Third parties that provide services on the University’s behalf also need to comply with these language obligations.

In terms of academics, the University is required under the French Language Services Act to offer in French all courses leading to a bachelor’s degree that are covered by the institution’s partial designation. In addition, Academic Regulation A-1: Bilingualism grants students the right to submit exams and assignments in the official language of their choice, regardless of the language of the course. This regulation also states that teaching materials produced by professors, such as course notes, course syllabi, presentations and lab instructions, as well as information shared verbally by professors during classes, must be in the course’s language of instruction. 

Procedure for handling complaints

  1. Reception et prioritization: You’ll receive an acknowledgment of receipt of your complaint within 48 hours. Your complaint will be processed in order of priority: Complaints that can have serious short-term repercussions for the complainant are considered the most urgent. We handle academic or human resources complaints quickly to address their particular circumstances.
  2. Study of complaint: We’ll look into your complaint to determine if it falls under the University’s language policies. If we need more information on the incident or the service you received, we’ll contact you. If your complaint is admissible, we’ll conduct an investigation and contact the service or program in question. If it’s inadmissible, we’ll let you know, redirect you to the relevant authority, if appropriate, and close the file. A complaint is admissible if it’s covered under the language laws and policies governing the University.
  3. Followup with the service or program in question: A language policy adviser will contact the service or program in question to inform it that a complaint has been received, describe the issue of compliance with our language policies and request corrective action, offer a resolution or suggest best practices and potential solutions, as appropriate.
  4. Response to complaint: Once the service or program provides a response, we’ll review its contents in terms of compliance with University language policies. You’ll receive a response within 45 days of submitting your complaint. If it takes longer to respond due to the complexity of the complaint, we’ll let you know.
  5. Closure of file and appeal: Once we’ve sent you a final response, we’ll close your file. You can appeal the decision on your complaint to one of the authorities listed in the next section.

Appealing the decision on your complaint

If you’re not satisfied, you should first contact the language policy adviser who sent you our response to see if another solution can be proposed.

If you still wish to appeal the decision on your complaint, the adviser will tell you what to do according to the nature of the complaint:

Confidentiality

The language rights complaint process is confidential, and we don’t share the identity of the complainant with the administrative service or academic program in question when we follow up on complaints. If we must share your identity to address an exceptional situation, we ask for your permission in advance. 

Protection of personal information

Under Ontario’s Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, the University adheres to the highest standards surrounding the protection of personal information.