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Building Bridges : Perceptions and Realities About the English-speaking Communities of Quebec and their Relationship with French in Quebec and Bilingualism in Canada
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Title
Building Bridges : Perceptions and Realities About the English-speaking Communities of Quebec and their Relationship with French in Quebec and Bilingualism in Canada
Abstract
The Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages (the Office of the Commissioner) has observed that, in recent years, the English-speaking communities of Quebec (ESCQ) have been the focus of much public discourse and debate in the province. Survey and census data indicate that, overall, the ESCQ are highly bilingual and value Canada’s broader linguistic duality, including the French language. The extent to which the general population is aware of these facets of the ESCQ is not clear, however, and the Office of the Commissioner wished to test the hypothesis that problematic myths may persist.
In light of this context and with the modernization of the Official Languages Act by the federal government in 2023, which recognizes the need to “advance the existence of a majority-French society in a Quebec where the future of French is assured,” this research project is an opportunity to shed light on the relationship that the ESCQ have with the French language in Quebec and official bilingualism in Canada as a whole. This is also an opportunity to explore how Quebec’s English-speaking minority can be considered as bridge-builders or even as a potential ally of the promotion of French in Canada as a whole, with a view to developing a more constructive discourse that better acknowledges their contributions and, ultimately, deconstructs certain misperceptions.
Date
June, 2024
Pages
45
Language
en
Rights
You are not authorized to use or reproduce this work for any commercial purpose or to further distribute, perform, or alter works in any way without express permission of the owner of the copyright or proxy.
Citation
Canada. Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages. Building Bridges : Perceptions and Realities About the English-Speaking Communities of Quebec and Their Relationship with French in Quebec and Bilingualism in Canada, June 2024.
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Geographical area
Type
Contributing CKOL partner
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Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages of Canada (OCOL)
Founded:
1970
Constituents:
Canadians interested in the vitality of Canada's official languages
Website:
https://www.clo-ocol.gc.ca/en
Activities:
Ensuring that main objectives of the Official Languages Act are met and that Canadians' language rights are respected; Intervening with federal institutions when they do not meet their official language obligations; Promoting the equality and use of the two official languages, English and French, in Canadian society, the vitality of official language communities, and compliance with the Official Languages Act.
Former Name:
None