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Language policies of Canada's provinces and territories


The language policies of Canada's province and territories vary substantially between different regions and also between different eras.

From the 1890s until the 1960s, English was the only language that most government services were provided in outside of Quebec (which was functionally bilingual) and using French in the courts or in schools was often illegal. This led to fears by French-Canadian nationalists that French speakers would be assimilated, leading the Royal Commission on Bilingualism and Biculturalism (1963–1969) to recommend that the Government of Canada and all provinces offer more services in French.

Since that time, Quebec has used provincial law to French (see Charter of the French Language) at the expense of other languages, while the other provinces have begun to offer more and more services in French and in other languages besides English, including Aboriginal languages and immigrant languages. The 1982 amendments to the Constitution of Canada included a right of minority-language education that has forced policy changes in all of the provinces. Quebec is unique in requiring private businesses to use French and requiring immigrants to send their children to French-language schools. In other provinces there is no requirement that businesses use a particular language, but English predominates, and immigrants may send their children to English, French or third-language schools.

At the time of Confederation in 1867, English and French were made the official languages of debate in the Parliament of Canada and the Parliament of Quebec. No specific policies were enacted for the other provinces, and no provisions were made for the official languages to be used in other elements of the government such the courts, schools, post offices, and so on. The official language policies of the provinces and territories were initially set when they were created by the federal government, or in the case of provinces that were separate colonies before joining Confederation (Newfoundland, Prince Edward Island, and British Columbia) were inherited from their own histories. Language policies in all provinces have evolved over time in response to changing demographics, public attitudes, and legal rulings.


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