Lesson 9 — Activity 1: Language Rights

In Canada, French and English have equal status in the government. Therefore, people can choose to communicate in English or French.

The Charter recognizes the language rights of English and French communities because of the unique role each played in the founding of Canada. The history of officially guaranteeing the use of French in Canada dates to the Quebec Act of 1774. At that time, the British government did not want its French citizens in Canada to become a part of the unrest in the United States that resulted in the outbreak of the American War of Independence in 1776.

The idea was that if French-speaking citizens had the right to use their own language in the Canadian colonies, they would stay loyal to Britain. The Quebec Act guaranteed the right of French-speaking Canadians to use their own language. Since then, every document that has been passed as a part of the creation of Canada as a nation has guaranteed these language rights. Today, this has grown to be so much more.

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National Assembly of Quebec

       

Under the Charter, Canadians have the following language rights:

• Either English or French may be used in Parliament.
• All documents of Parliament must be published in both languages.
• Members of the public can communicate with the federal government in either language.
• The federal government must provide services in English and French.
• Either language can be used in court.

All federal government services must be provided in French and English. Any lands that fall under the control of the federal government must have bilingual signs. As soon as you enter a national park in Alberta, for example, you will notice that road signs are in both French and English.

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In Ottawa, our national capital, all signs are bilingual. Airports are under federal jurisdiction, so they must display bilingual signs. If you have flown on either WestJet or Air Canada, you will have heard the safety message in both languages.

Beyond the federal government and areas under federal jurisdiction, you are probably aware that all product labels are in both languages. Events such as the Vancouver Olympics or the Grey Cup and Stanley Cup games must include both languages as part of their ceremonies. If you have a debit card and use it at a machine that is not owned by your regular banking company, you will notice that both French and English appear on the screen.

Although provincial governments are not bound to provide documents or present signs in both French and English, they are bound by other laws that are a result of Canada having two official languages. How this looks in each province varies. The only province that is officially bilingual is New Brunswick. If you were to go into a McDonald's in that province, you would see the menu displayed in both languages. All that province's government documents are in both official languages.

There is also a rich history of Francophones in Canada. If you are a Francophone, this means that you are a French-speaking person, especially in a region where two or more languages are spoken. In Canada, there are many Francophones in the province of Quebec, where 80% of the population speak French as their first language.

Because Canada has two official languages, many outcomes have become common practice, although they are not required legally. For Canada's prime minister to be bilingual is not a legal requirement, however, being bilingual is very important to the position of prime minister. Therefore, all Canadian prime ministers have spoken either French or English, some both, but only a few were fluently bilingual.

People who speak only one of Canada's two official languages are not barred from working for the federal government or national businesses and organizations such as Air Canada and the RCMP. However, being bilingual is certainly helpful when seeking employment with the federal government or any national groups.

Minority Language Education Rights

The Minority Language Educational Rights section of the Charter requires provincial governments to provide education to Canadians in the official language of their choice. This concept has grown beyond its original intent to one that promotes bilingualism and offers educational programs that teach citizens to be bilingual. Alberta began to offer French immersion programs in the mid-1980s. Today, 25% of Canadians between the ages of 18 and 29 are fluent in both French and English.

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Canada's bilingual policies have led to programs offered in other languages. Larger communities have schools where education is delivered in languages such as Spanish, Chinese, Arabic, German, and Ukrainian to identify a few. First Nations people also offer instruction in their own languages. Canada's immersion and bilingual educational programs have become a model that other nations have chosen to follow.

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