Official Languages Act

Marginal note:Decisions, orders and judgments that must be made available simultaneously

• 20 (1) Any final decision, order or judgment, including any reasons given therefor, issued by any federal court shall be made available simultaneously in both official languages where

  • (a) the decision, order or judgment determines a question of law of general public interest or importance;

  • (a.1) the decision, order or judgment has precedential value; or

  • (b) the proceedings leading to its issuance were conducted in whole or in part in both official languages.

• Marginal note:Decisions, orders and judgments available in both official languages at different times

  (2) A decision, order or judgment issued by a federal court, including any reasons given for it, shall be issued first in one of the official languages and then, at the earliest possible time, in the other official language, with each version to be effective from the time the first version is effective, if

  • (a) it is a final decision, order or judgment that is not required under subsection (1) to be made available simultaneously in both official languages; or

  • (b) the decision, order or judgment is required to be made available simultaneously in both official languages under paragraph (1)(a) or (a.1) but the court is of the opinion that to make the decision, order or judgment, including any reasons given for it, available simultaneously in both official languages would occasion a delay prejudicial to the public interest or resulting in injustice or hardship to any party to the proceedings leading to its issuance.

• Marginal note:Oral rendition of decisions not affected

  (3) Nothing in subsection (1) or (2) shall be construed as prohibiting the oral rendition or delivery, in only one of the official languages, of any decision, order or judgment or any reasons given therefor.

• Marginal note:Decisions not invalidated

  (4) No decision, order or judgment issued by a federal court is invalid by reason only that it was not made or issued in both official languages.