Summary#
Bill 47, the Poet Laureate of Ontario Amendment Act (French-language Poet Laureate of Ontario), 2021, would amend the Poet Laureate of Ontario Act (In Memory of Gord Downie), 2019. It would establish English-language and French-language Poet Laureates of Ontario, both officers of the Legislative Assembly. The stated goal is to provide for a French-language Poet Laureate.
- A candidate’s qualifying volume of poetry, or a large part of their body of work, would have to be written in the language of the position they seek.
- For selecting a French-language Poet Laureate, at least two panel members must be capable of evaluating candidates’ original French-language works.
- To meet that panel requirement, the Speaker and Legislative Librarian may make specified substitutions, including jointly selecting up to two people with knowledge of French-language literary activity in Ontario.
- References in the Act to one Poet Laureate would be changed to recognize both positions, including a requirement applying to each Poet Laureate.
- The bill says it would take effect on Royal Assent. The supplied materials do not say whether it became law.
What it means for you#
- French-language poets: A candidate for the French-language position would need to meet the new language requirement for their qualifying poetry or body of work. The bill does not set out a process for applying or define “a large portion.”
- Candidates and selection panel: The panel choosing the French-language Poet Laureate must include at least two members able to evaluate candidates’ original French-language works. Some panel members may be replaced to meet this requirement; those replacements are permitted, not required.
- The Legislative Assembly: The two Poet Laureates would be officers of the Assembly. The bill does not create a separate organization. The supplied materials do not include the parent Act’s full description of the Poet Laureates’ duties, so those duties cannot be verified here.
- Other residents: The bill does not directly change taxes, fees, benefits, or residents’ rights.
Money#
No publicly available information on the bill’s costs, compensation, or staffing.
- The amendment text does not specify funding or a cost estimate.
What is unclear#
- The supplied materials do not include the full 2019 Act, so the existing qualifications, selection-panel makeup, duties, and other rules cannot be checked against current law.
- The bill does not define “a large portion” of a candidate’s body of work or say how the language requirement would be assessed.
- It does not specify how panel members’ ability to evaluate French-language works would be judged.
- It does not set out application rules, selection timelines, review or appeal rights, or reporting requirements.
- It does not explain how the two Poet Laureates’ roles would be divided or whether their work would overlap.
Case for#
- A French-language position would give French-language poetry a distinct place in the office of Poet Laureate.
- Requiring panel members who can assess original French-language works could help the panel evaluate those works directly.
- Allowing certain panel substitutions gives the Speaker and Legislative Librarian options for meeting the language-evaluation requirement.
Case against#
- “A large portion” is not defined, leaving uncertainty about which candidates meet the language requirement.
- The bill creates a second position but does not explain how the two Poet Laureates’ work or duties would be coordinated.
- The bill does not set out costs or resources for the additional position or for making the selection panel meet the language requirement.
- The rules for choosing panel replacements are partly discretionary, and the bill does not explain how the panel’s language-evaluation ability would be confirmed.