Canada is an officially bilingual country, with two official languages: French and English. This means that the public has the right to communicate with and receive services from, federal government institutions in either English or French. Canada is a bilingual country with "co-official" languages. Please try again.All institutions that fall under federal jurisdiction are subject to official bilingualism, but provinces, municipalities, and private businesses do not have to operate in both languages. This makes them "official" languages, having preferred status in law over all other languages. Although the Official Languages Act is not the only piece of federal language law, it is the legislative keystone of Canada's official bilingualism. Of course, if you are visiting Quebec, especially outside Montreal, knowing some key French travel phrases is helpful, not to mention courteous.Top 10 Myths and Misconceptions About CanadaHow to Take a Bus, Car, or Train from Vancouver to BanffLooking at Canada as a whole, about 22% of Canadians use French as their first language (Statistics Canada, 2006).
English and French are a no-brainer, but the other most spoken languages in Canada may surprise you.
Canada’s Commissioner of Official Languages of Canada plays a critical role in ensuring that language rights remain a priority for government leaders. The Official Languages Act (1969) is the federal statute that made English and French the official languages of Canada. The Act was passed on the recommendation of the Royal Commission on Bilingualism and Biculturalism (established by Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson) and came into force on 7 September 1969. Canadian federal law of 1969 The Official Languages Act is a Canadian law that came into force on September 9, 1969, which gives French and English equal status in the government of Canada.
Although Canada is a predominantly English-speaking country, there are francophone communities throughout its provinces. Both languages are equal in It created the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages, which oversees its implementati… Guide to Canada's Provinces and TerritoriesCanada - as a country - has two official languages: English and French. This means that all federal services, policies, and laws must be enacted and available in both French and English. Unilingual public servants are given incentives to learn the other official language, and the government provides language training and offers a "bilingualism bonus". Canada’s largest online retailer. In fact, according to the 2016 census, French is the native language of around 7.2 million Canadians—or about 20 percent of the total population. It moves on to a framework description of federal bilingual districts, setting out the basic conditions for establishing the districts in question but not specifically listing them (sections 12 to 18). Move to CanadaA Traveler’s Guide to AfrikaansTips for Driving in Canada: What You Need to KnowThe Ultimate Cross-Canada Road Trip: Montreal to VancouverHowever, the status of English and French as Canada's official languages does not mean that both languages are widely spoken across the country or that every Canadian is bilingual. Official languages in the workplace. This means that the public has the right to communicate with and receive services from, federal government institutions in either English or French. English is the predominant language of Canada outside of Quebec. In practice, however, the majority of Canadians speak English, with progressively smaller numbers speaking English and French, English and some other language, or only French. The fact is that most Canadians speak English.The mother tongue of about 60% of Canada's population is English (Statistics Canada, 2006).Quebec French: Talk Like a LocalYour Trip to Quebec City: The Complete GuideIn central Canada, Italians have retained their language to a large degree and moving east, you'll hear more Arabic, Dutch, and Micmac.Do I Have To Speak French in Quebec?Unless you are traveling to less touristy and more remote parts of Quebec, understanding only English is good enough to navigate around Canada.