His interests in these questions made him a controversial figure as Speaker when the Senate was considering the issue of francophone schools in Ontario in the wake of the provincial Conservative government's passage of Regulation 17 which restricted French-language instruction.
His concerns about these issues made him a contentious figure as Speaker when the Senate was grappling with the issue of francophone schools in Ontario following the passage of Regulation 17 by the provincial Conservative government, which limited French-language instruction.