The official languages commissioner, who ignited a public firestorm when she launched an investigation into "anti-French" remarks by Don Cherry, won't release her report to the public. Instead, her findings will be sent to the publicly funded CBC -- the hockey commentator's boss -- which can opt to keep it secret.

Chantale Breton, a spokesman for Commissioner Dyane Adam, said the process is designed to protect the integrity of investigations. She expects the report will be wrapped up and passed on to the CBC within two weeks.

Conservative MP Jim Abbott called the probe "a complete waste of time and public resources" and slammed the lack of public accountability.

"It's vacuous -- devoid of any meaning or value," he said.

Late yesterday, CBC spokesman Jason MacDonald said the broadcaster will agree to make the report public. Until it's complete, he said he could not comment on how or if the CBC would implement the recommendations.

Cherry, the shoot-from-the hip hockey analyst, sparked a national furor when he derided calls for mandatory use of protective visors. Only "Europeans and French guys" wear the protective gear, he told his Coach's Corner audience.

His comments prompted Adam to probe CBC to determine if its policies and employee code of conduct comply with federal guidelines.

Mike Green, a spokesman for Canadians for Language Fairness, an Ottawa group concerned with English language rights, slammed the commissioner's ability to operate under the public radar and her steps to "censor" Canadians.

'VERY OFFENSIVE'

"You almost have some Orwellian nightmare about what she could put out there ... Trying to censor an opinion because it doesn't jibe with government policy is reprehensible, and quite frankly very offensive and scary," Green said.