Jean-Robert Gauthier, a senator since 1994, introduced Bill S-3 in September 2001 to give effect to Part VII (promotion of English and French) of the Official Languages Act, i.e. to allow official language minorities legal recourse if the government does not fulfill its obligations towards their vitality.

Bill S-3 was finally passed in the Senate in November 2005. This is the one and only change to the Official Languages Act since the 1988 reform.