Bilingualism in Canada

Bilingualism in Canada refers to laws and policies of the federal government – and some other levels of government – mandating that certain services and communications be available to the public in both {{ll|English}} and {{ll|French}}.

History

Official bilingualism in various forms dates back to Canadian Confederation in 1867, when the British North America Act allowed both French and English for parliamentary debates and federal court cases. However, for many decades French was given an inferior position in Canadian confederation. The use of French, especially in education, was on several occasions curtailed in mainly English-speaking provinces such as in the Manitoba Schools Question and Ontario's Regulation 17. Bilingualism in its more extensive modern form began with the Royal Commission on Bilingualism and Biculturalism, which started work in 1963 and eventually led to the original Official Languages Act in 1969.

Related Topics:
1867 - British North America Act - Manitoba Schools Question - Regulation 17 - Royal Commission on Bilingualism and Biculturalism - 1963 - Official Languages Act - 1969

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In 1974, the Consumer Packaging and Labelling Act required the use of both French and English on all consumer packaging across the country, and bilingual packaging remains the most visible aspect of bilingualism for the Canadian general public.

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In 1977, Quebec introduced its Charter of the French Language (the so-called "Bill 101") to promote and preserve the French language in the province, directly challenging the federal bilingualism policy. Most controversially, the charter bans the use of English on commercial signs in the province, and forbids children from attending English-language public schools unless their parents received the majority of their education in English, in Quebec.

Related Topics:
1977 - Quebec - Charter of the French Language

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In 1982, the Constitution Act (which the government of Quebec did not endorse) required provinces and territories to make education available in both official languages where numbers warrant. It also added the Canada Clause, extending minority language education rights across Canada. In 1988, a second version of the Official Languages Act was introduced, taking into account the new requirements of the Constitution Act.

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In 1988, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled in the case of Ford v. Quebec (A.G.) that the commercial sign law provisions of the Quebec Charter of the French Language, banning the use of the English language on outdoor signs, were unconstitutional. In 1989, the Quebec national assembly invoked the Notwithstanding clause of the Canadian constitution to set aside enforcement of the court ruling for five years. A UN appeal of the 'McIntyre Case' resulted in a condemnation of Quebec's sign law — regardless of the 'Canadian' legality of the notwithstanding clause. In response, the Quebec national assembly passed its Bill 86 in 1993, availing itself of the suggestions proposed in the losing 1988 Supreme Court ruling by allowing other languages on commercial signs, subject to French being markedly predominant .

Related Topics:
1988 - Supreme Court of Canada - Ford v. Quebec (A.G.) - 1989 - Notwithstanding clause - 1993

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On March 9, 2005 the Province of Ontario amended the City of Ottawa Act http://www.ontla.on.ca/documents/Bills/38_Parliament/Session1/b163_e.htm to officially recognize the bilingual character of the City of Ottawa, thereby effectively promulgating official bilingualism in the national capital of Canada..

Related Topics:
March 9 - 2005

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On March 31, 2005, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled unanimously that the interpretation of major part requirement in Quebec's language of instruction provisions, limiting access to English-language public education, violated the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The court did not strike down the law but, as was the case with the 1988 ruling on sign laws, presented the province with a set of criteria for bringing the law into conformance with the charter.

Related Topics:
March 31 - 2005 - Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms

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