Canada is Bilingual but What Does this Really Mean? Canada's Provinces & Territories | Quebec Travel Overview Despite being an officially bilingual country, the most prominent language used in Canada is English. Just under a quarter of the country's population speaks French - most of whom live in Quebec . Aside from English and French, several other languages, including Chinese, Punjabi, Arabic and Aboriginal languages are the mother tongues of Canadians. Bottom Line for Visitors Unless you are travelling to less touristy and more remote parts of Quebec, understanding only English is good enough to navigate around Canada. Of course, if you are visiting Quebec, especially outside Montreal, knowing some key French travel phrases is helpful, not to mention courteous. Canadian Bilingualism in Depth Canada - 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. Some common examples of Canadian bilingualism that visitors encounter are road signs, TV and radio, product packaging, and bus and tour groups. continue reading below our video Tipping Etiquette Around the World However, 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.

Canadian bilingualism is more official designation than everyday reality. The fact is that most Canadians speak English. First of all, each of Canada's 10 provinces and three territories adopts its own official language policy. Only Quebec recognizes French as its sole official language and is the only place in Canada where this is the case. New Brunswick is the only bilingual province, recognizing both English and French as official languages. Other provinces and territories conduct affairs mostly in English but may also recognize or offer governmental services in French as well as Aboriginal languages. In Quebec, English is widely spoken in its largest city, Montreal , and other major tourist destinations. Non-French-speaking visitors to Quebec can also easily get by in Quebec City; however, once you get off the beaten track, French tends to be the language spoken, so study up or get a phrase book. Looking at Canada as a whole, about 22% of Canadians use French as their first language (Statistics Canada, 2006). The majority of the country's French-speaking population lives in Quebec, but other high concentrations of French speakers live in New Brunswick, northern Ontario and Manitoba. The mother tongue of about 60% of Canada's population is English (Statistics Canada, 2006).

French is not required learning at school outside of Quebec. However French immersion is a popular choice of education - mostly in central and eastern Canada - where elementary students who are enrolled in French immersion schools use French at school either partially or exclusively. French/English Language Conflict The French and English were two of the earliest cultures to arrive in Canada and often went to battle over land. Finally, in the 1700's, with fewer French coming to Canada and in the aftermath of the Seven Year' War , the British gained full control of Canada. Though the new British - and of course, English-speaking - rulers vowed to protect much of the property, religious, political, and social culture of the French, an underlying conflict continues to this day. For example Francophones in Quebec have launched several initiatives to protect their rights, including holding two provincial referendums in which Quebeckers voted on seceding from the rest of Canada. The most recent one in 1995 failed only by a margin of 50.6 to 49.4. Other Languages The prominence of languages other than English and French varies across the country, mostly influenced by immigration.

In western Canada, namely British Columbia and Alberta, Chinese is the second most common language spoken after English. Punjabi, Tagalog (Filipino), Cree, German and Polish are other languages heard in BC and the Prairie Provinces . In the northern parts of Canada, including its three territories , Aboriginal languages, such as South Slave and Inuktitut rank next to English and French as top languages spoken, though looking at Canada as a whole, their use is minimal. In central Canada, Italians have retained their language to a large degree and moving east, you'll hear more Arabic, Dutch and Micmac. Where in Canada do They Speak French Where in Canada do They Speak French By Rachel Hanson M.A. French The question 'where in Canada do they speak French?' is a confusing one because while the country, itself, is bilingual, most provinces in Canada claim to be monolingual. There is only one bilingual province in Canada (New Brunswick) and one monolingual province whose official language is French: Québec. The rest of the Canadian provinces are monolingual English areas, at least according to the government. However, there are French speakers in these monolingual English provinces as well.

Since all over Canada there are small populations of French speakers (in addition to the main areas where French is a majority language), the answer to the question 'where in Canada do they speak French?' is: everywhere. Of course, some areas have more French speakers than others. Where in Canada do They Speak French Only The Province of Québec only has one official language . Though French is the only official language, there are many places within the province where large populations of English speakers can be found, such as in the city of Montréal, and in certain neighborhoods of Québec City. Even though not everyone in Québec is a native speaker of Québécois French, this province still has, by far, the largest French-speaking population of Canada. Other provinces with large French speaking populations border Québec to the East (New Brunswick) and the West (Ontario). It's from this region that most of the Franco-Americans in New England came to America. New Brunswick: The Bilingual Province New Brunswick is bilingual, like the country of Canada as a whole. In some parts of the province, one is more likely to bump into francophones, and in other regions, more likely to meet anglophones.

Many people are actually bilingual French-English, and like many other areas of Canada, there are other languages spoken as well (most common are Mi'kmaq and Chinese). New Brunswick has more English speakers than French speakers (65 and 33 percent, respectively). Other French-Speaking Regions The provinces of Québec and New Brunswick are both official francophone areas, however, there are many more areas in Canada where French is spoken even though it is not one of the governmentally-recognized official languages. Ontario is one such area that has a large population of francophones. Ontario In Ontario, approximately 4.3 percent of the population is francophone and while that is a small percentage, it is the largest percentage of French speakers among the English speaking provinces. The largest numbers of francophones in Ontario can be found in the region of Ottawa, Canada's capital on the Eastern border of Ontario, and in Northeastern Ontario, also bordering the province of Québec. Ontario, in an effort to promote bilingualism in Canada, has many bilingual schools where native English speaking children are exposed to and learn French starting at an early age. Western Provinces There are also some small French-speaking communities in the western provinces of Canada.

In Manitoba, a small francophone population exists, and in Alberta, approximately 2 percent of the population is native French speaking. Atlantic Provinces In Nova Scotia some French speakers can be found, especially on Cape Breton Island. Another Canadian island where French is spoken is Prince Edward Island; particularly on the western side. French abounds in Canada, not just in the Province of Québec. Also, don't confuse the islands of St-Pierre et Miquelon with the rest of Canada. Though these small islands are geographically much closer to Canada than to France, these islands are still officially French territory, and, naturally, French is also spoken on these islands, but they cannot be considered French-speaking Canada despite their geographic proximity. Was this page useful? Quebec’s War on English: Language Politics Intensify in Canadian Province | TIME.com Canada Quebec’s War on English: Language Politics Intensify in Canadian Province A controversial new bill proposed by the sovereigntist Parti Quebecois is stirring up tensions between English and French-speakers in Quebec. Send to Kindle ROGERIO BARBOSA / AFP / Getty Images Parti Quebecois leader Pauline Marois addresses supporters in Montreal on Sept. 4, 2012.

One person was killed and another seriously wounded when a gunman opened fire during her speech. Follow @TIMEWorld To live in Quebec is to become accustomed to daily reminders that French in the Canadian province is the most regulated language in the world. Try, as I did recently, to shop at Anthropologie online and you’ll come up empty-handed. The retail chain (which bears a French name) opened its first Montreal boutique in October, but “due to the Charter of the French Language” has had its site shut down : “We hope you’ll visit us in store!” Montreal’s transit authority maintains that under the present language law, its ticket takers must operate in French, which lately has spurred complaints from passengers. Last year, the city of Montreal erected 60 English safety signs nearby Anglophone schools in an effort to slow passing vehicles. The Quebec Board of the French Language and its squad of inspectors ordered that they be taken down; a snowy drive through town revealed that all had been replaced by French notices. Since the Parti Québécois (PQ), which calls for national sovereignty for Quebec, won a minority government in September, the reminders have become increasingly less subtle.

In February, a language inspector cited the swank supper club Buonanotte, which occupies a stretch of St. Laurent Boulevard, Montreal’s cultural and commercial artery, for using Italian words like pasta on its otherwise French menu. The ensuing scandal, which has come to be known as “pastagate,” took social media by storm. “These are problems we had in the 1980s,” says restaurant owner Massimo Lecas. “They were over and done with; we could finally concentrate on the economy and fixing potholes. And then this new government brought them all back. These issues might never go away now, and that is a scary sort of future.” It’s true: despite the nuisances and controversies generated by Bill 101, Quebec’s 1977 Charter of the French Language, the province had settled in the past years into a kind of linguistic peace. But tensions have mounted considerably since the separatist PQ returned to the fore. In the wake of pastagate, the language board allowed that its requests were maybe overzealous; the head of the organization resigned. And yet the PQ has prepared for the passage of Bill 14, a massive and massively controversial revision to Bill 101.

The bill’s 155 proposed amendments go further than any previous measures have to legislate the use of French in Quebec. Most English speakers see the changes as having been designed to run them right out of the province. “Definitely non-Francophone kids who are graduating are leaving,” says restaurateur Lecas. “If you don’t have a mortgage yet, if you’re not married yet, if you don’t own a business yet, it’s like, ‘I’m so outta here.’ But leaving is not the solution because when you leave, they win.” In a poll conducted by the research company EKOS in January, 42% of the Anglophones surveyed said they’ve considered quitting Quebec since the PQ was elected. If Bill 14 passes, military families living in Quebec but liable to be relocated at any time will no longer be permitted to send their children to English-language schools. Municipalities whose Anglophone inhabitants make up less than 50% of their populations will lose their bilingual status, meaning, among other things, that residents won’t be able to access government documents in English.

For the first time, companies with 25 to 49 workers will be required to conduct all business in French, a process set to cost medium-size businesses $23 million. French speakers interested in attending English-language colleges will take a backseat to Anglophone applicants. The language inspectors will be able to instantly search and seize potentially transgressive records, files, books and accounts, where currently they can only “request” documents that they believe aren’t in accordance with the law. And no longer will they grant a compliance period. As soon as a person or business is suspected of an offense, “appropriate penal proceedings may be instituted.” Jamie Rosenbluth of JR Bike Rental is among the business owners who’ve had run-ins with the ever more bold language board, which already has the authority to impose fines and, in extreme cases, shut enterprises down. A month ago, an inspector asked him to translate the Spanish novelty posters that paper his shop and increase the size of the French writing on his bilingual pricing list by 30%. Says Rosenbluth: “I told her, ‘You want me to make the French words 30% bigger? O.K., how about I charge French-speaking people 30% more?’ It is so silly.

Are they 30% better than me? Are they 30% smarter than me?” Since the encounter, he has covered the offending posters with placards of his own that say, in French, “Warning: Non-French sign below. Read at your own discretion.” The PQ is trying to reassure its separatist base of its seriousness as a defender of Quebecois identity. To pass Bill 14, it will need the support of at least one of the province’s two primary opposition parties. In other words, if the bill doesn’t succeed, Premier Pauline Marois of the PQ will be able to hold the opposition accountable and remain a hero to the hard-liners. The PQ knows that, in its present incarnation, it will never drastically expand its core of support, but it can galvanize its troops. Some of those supporters rallied together in Montreal last month to protest “institutional bilingualism” and champion the bill. Cheers and applause resounded when journalist Pierre Dubuc called out: “If someone can’t ask for a metro ticket in French, let them walk.” Public hearings on Bill 14 began in early March at the National Assembly in Quebec City and are ongoing.

“I can tell you that if someone came to Côte-St.-Luc to tell us we would lose our bilingual status, you will have chaos, you will have opposition of people you wouldn’t think of who will take to the streets,” testified Anthony Housefather, mayor of the municipality of Côte-St.-Luc, on the first day. “People are scared, people are very scared.” By the time Quebec’s largest Anglophone school board, Lester B. Pearson, came forward on March 19, it had already collected 32,000 signatures on a petition against the bill. “There are many ways of protecting French, and coercion isn’t one of them,” says Simo Kruyt, a member of the board’s central parent committee. “Fourteen of our schools have closed over the past seven years. We are getting fed up. We are getting tired of having to fight to be who we are. English is the language of commerce and we parents believe we are part of a world that’s larger than Quebec.” It’s hard yet to say if the bill will make it through. The opposition Liberals have flat-out refused to support the legislation.

The Coalition Avenir Québec, which holds the balance, has said that it might — if certain of the more controversial measures are “improved.” In fact, the Coalition has only come out against four sections of Bill 14, and these don’t include the provisions that would give the dreaded language inspectors new and extraordinary powers. In the face of such antagonism, it’s no wonder some are leaving. Kruyt’s eldest son, a bilingual 27-year-old engineer, is preparing to relocate to Ottawa, the Canadian capital that sits near Quebec’s western border. Says Kruyt: “There, they’ll appreciate his French and won’t hammer him because of his English.” In response to this story published April 8, Quebec’s Delegate General to New York submitted a letter to the editor on April 11 that can be read here . Subscribe Popular Among Subscribers French - Language Information & Resources Home » Resources » Languages » French French French, as it is spoken today by a vast Francophone population, began to become standardized with Charlemagne’s conquest of the Gauls and Franks in the 16th Century. The history of the modern French language in France emerged with the combination of Latin and Provençal.

Keep reading to learn more. French Language French is used as the official language of 22 countries and is the co-official language of several others, including Belgium, Canada, Haiti, Madagascar, and Switzerland. It is spoken as a first language by 51 million people in France and Corsica; in Canada by 7.2 million; in Belgium by 3.3 million; in Switzerland by 1.2 million; in Monaco by 17,000; in Italy by 100,000; and in the United States by nearly 2 million (primarily in Maine and Louisiana). In sub-Saharan Africa, some 5 million people (in Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, Djibouti, Guinea, Madagascar, Mali, Niger, Rwanda, Senegal, Togo, and Zaire) use French as their principal international language, as do additional millions in Indochina (Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia). In addition, French continues to be spoken as a second language by many people in countries located along the southern and eastern rim of the Mediterranean that were once French colonies or territories (notably Algeria.

Morocco, and Lebanon). History of French Language Modern French belongs to the group of so-called “Romance” languages. Descended from Latin, these languages may be said to represent living shadows of the ancient Roman empire, reflecting the divergent histories of regions formerly unified under Roman rule. The source of modern French (and of the other Romance languages) was a spoken, popular version of the Latin tongue that was spread abroad by conquering Roman legions – namely, in the case of French, to so-called “Transalpine Gaul” by the armies of Julius Caesar during the century that preceded the birth of Christ. The invasion of Gaul in the 400’s AD by Germanic tribes (including the so-called “Franks”) fleeing nomadic attackers from central Asia resulted in a loss of military control by Rome and led to the establishment in of a new, Frankish ruling class whose mother tongue was, of course, not Latin.

Their adaptation to the speaking of popular Latin by the indigenous population tended to impose, by authoritative example, a pronunciation that retained a marked Germanic flavor – notably in the vowel sounds that can still be heard in the French of the present day (the modern French “u” and “eu”, for instance, remain very close to the modern German “ü” and “ö”– sounds unknown to any other modern language descended from Latin). The changes in grammar gradually made it harder and harder for speakers of the current language to understand the Latin language still used in Christian religious services and in legal documents. As a result, a written codification of the evolving spoken language was found necessary for current legal and political use. The earliest written documents in a distinctly “French” (“Francien”, from “Frankish”) language are the so-called “Oaths of Strasbourg”, sworn by two of Charlemagne’s grandsons in 842 AD This “French” language was in fact one of a number of different languages descended from Latin that were spoken in various parts of post-Roman Gaul. Others included notably the so-called “Provençal” language (or “langue d’oc”), spoken in much of the southern half of what is today metropolitan France.

However the so-called “French” language gained a special status resulting from its association with the dominant feudal military power – namely the court of Charlemagne and his successors – whose territorial reach and effective control of French life grew over time. The return of the French court to Paris – after its move to Aachen (Aix-la-Chapelle) under Charlemagne -- and the ultimate success of its armies against the Anglo-Norman occupiers of major parts of northern and southwestern France, led to a territorial consolidation that guaranteed the future position of “French” as the official language of a centralized monarchy (later nation-state). French was so established by the Edict of Villers-Cotterêts in the year 1539. The poetic fertility of medieval Provençal, meanwhile, which had far surpassed that of French, in the so-called “Troubadour” period, now gave way to the literary productivity of the language of the central court and central institutions of justice and learning – the language of Paris and the surrounding Ile-de-France region.

The grammar of the French language spoken and written today is in its essentials unchanged from the late 17th century, when official efforts to standardize, stabilize, and clarify French grammatical usage were institutionalized in the French Academy. The purpose of this standardization was political: to facilitate the extension of the court’s influence and to smooth the processes of law, administration, and commerce throughout and even beyond the territory of France, as colonial ventures (as far away as India and Louisiana) opened new theaters of imperial growth. Even today, after the decline of French imperial influence, post-World War II, French remains the second language of a vast “Francophone” population extending far beyond France’s remaining overseas territories and dependencies (French Guiana, Martinique, Guadeloupe, St.-Pierre and Miquelon, New Caledonia, Vanuatu, Tahiti, Seychelles, Mauritius, and Réunion Island).

French in Canada The French spoken in Canada today, principally in the Province of Quebec,differs from standard modern French as a consequence of Quebec’s political isolation from France after the defeat of French colonial armies by British forces in the Battle of Montreal during the so-called French and Indian War (also called the Seven Years’ War) (1756-1763). The influence of English on the vocabulary and syntax of Québecquois French has been massive, especially since the introduction of radio and television. Pronunciation differences relative to Parisian French are explained also by the primarily French-Atlantic-coastal origins (largely rural) of many of the 17th-century French colonists of Quebec, whose mother tongue was a non-Parisian dialect of French. Bilingualism in Canada Canada is the only country in North America to have two official languages: English and French. Canada is a vast territory that can be divided into two national communities: one a majority accustomed to seeing English as the country’s predominant and usual language, the other, a minority located in Québec and parts of Ontario and New Brunswick that have recently begun to use French as their first language.

The Constitution of Canada has enshrined English and French as Canada’s official languages since 1982, but this declaration is only valid for the federal government and its divisions. The ten provinces and three territories of Canada are free to grant French or English the status of an official language, or not to do so. The only province that has granted equal status to both languages is New Brunswick. Since Canada was created in 1867, the Constitution has made Québec subject to certain obligations regarding bilingualism: it must adopt its laws in French and in English and guarantee parliament, judges, litigants, and parties to a legal proceeding with the use of the two languages. Because of these stipulations in the Constitution, Québec could not become a unilingual French province in 1974 when the Liberal government of Robert Bourassa made French the official language of Québec. In Canada both languages are not equal and symmetrical. Outside of Québec, French is the language of the minority. It is only in Ontario and New Brunswick that Francophiles (Canadians whose first language is French) form large communities. In these provinces French is the dominant language in social settings including education, health services and culture.

There is bilingualism in federal institutions across the country: government services, postal services, airports, etc. -but only 30% of federal public servants are bilingual and most of them work in the Ottawa region, the federal capital. By law all official and advertising documents must be published in both French and English. There has been a highly publicized language dispute between the English and the French for many centuries. It all began in 1760, when the colony of New France (now known as Québec) was taken over by the British. The final ceding of New France to the British crown in 1763 put an end to two and a half centuries of French dominance in Canada. Over sixty thousand French inhabitants found themselves subject to the British Crown, a foreign language, religion, and a new legal system. At the conclusion of the Seven Years war, tensions between the Francophiles of Quebec, Ontario, and New Brunswick, and the majority Anglophiles periodically lead to conflict in the social arena. French in Haiti French is used in Haiti as one of its official languages and as the language of higher education.

The popular language spoken in Haiti is a so-called “creole” (a term derived from the Spanish word criolla denoting a person “born in the colonies”). The creole of Haiti is a 17th-century derivative of the language of the French planters who imported captives purchased as slaves from African tribal leaders to work the sugar plantations of France’s then-colony on the island of Hispaniola. The creole represents a grammatically simplified “practical” version of French that arose to fill a need for communication among Afro-Haitians of differing tribal origins whose mother tongues were mutually unintelligible. The pronunciation differences relative to standard French reflect the sounds foreign to French that were present among the African tongues of the original speakers. Haitian creole is today also a written language, and is used as the country�s other official language. Get Your FREE Quote How Canadian are You, eh? Games How Canadian are You, eh? Test your knowledge of Canadian history with this challenging, multiple-choice quiz. The quiz is different every time, so you can play more than once! Most of the information you need is found in the Discover Canada study guide .

Question 1: When did the Prime Minister, on behalf of the Government of Canada, officially apologize in the House of Commons for the Chinese Head Tax that was imposed on Chinese newcomers in 1885? July 1, 2006 Canada currently claims ownership of the North Pole. True Canada's most densely populated province is: Ontario In what year did the Iroquois and the French finally make peace? 1701 Whom does the governor general of Canada represent at the federal level? The prime minister Which famous Canadian composed the Canadian national anthem? Céline Dion Where are the highest tides in the world? Hudson's Bay, between Ontario, Quebec, Manitoba and Nunavut The Bay of Fundy, between Nova Scotia and New Brunswick James Bay, between Ontario and Quebec Cowichan Bay, British Columbia What is the only officially bilingual province in Canada? Alberta How many oceans does Canada border? Two (Atlantic and Arctic) Three (Atlantic, Pacific and Arctic) Four (Atlantic, Pacific, Arctic, Indian) None What is the approximate population of Canada?

25,000,000 40,000,000 Question 11: Each year on November 11, Canadians celebrate Remembrance Day by pinning which type of flower to their jackets? Daisies Which of the following rivers is Canada's longest river? Mackenzie River Why did Ottawa establish the Mounted Police in 1873? To perform equestrian shows To pacify the West and negotiate with the Indians To arrest Louis Riel To drive the Métis out of Canada Question 14: How many time zones stretch across Canada's vast landscape? 3 1 Question 15: What famous sea creature in the Okanagan Lake of British Columbia was called N'ha-a-itk by local Aboriginal tribes and is considered "Canada's Loch Ness Monster"? Caddy What is the capital city of Nova Scotia? St. John’s What is the oldest English settlement in Canada? Québec, Quebec St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador Question 18: Who was the first woman to serve as governor general of Canada? Jeanne Sauvé Who is Canada's Head of State?

Her Majesty the Queen of Canada (Elizabeth II) The Prime Minister What level of government in Canada is in charge of education and health care? Federal Local Question 21: In Canada, rights come with responsibilities. Which of the following is an actual responsibility for all Canadian citizens? The responsibility to help others in the community The responsibility to obey the law The responsibility to vote in elections All of the above Question 22: Which biennial sports event that began in 1970 features such sports as snowshoeing and dog sledding, as well as athletes from northern communities like the Northwest Territories, Yukon, Nunavut, Alaska, Greenland and several northern Russian provinces? Northern Winter Olympics Northern Games Question 23: The prime minister of Canada must recommend a governor general candidate to the Queen before a decision is made. True or false? True What leaf is on the Canadian flag? mint leaf grape leaf Question 25: Which of the following answers includes all four of the fundamental freedoms dating back to the Magna Carta, also known as the Great Charter?

Freedom of conscience and religion, freedom of speech, freedom to wear what you want, freedom to read Freedom of speech, freedom to think, freedom of association, freedom to walk Freedom of peaceful assembly, freedom to drive, freedom to sing, freedom of association Freedom of conscience and religion; freedom of thought, belief, opinion and expression; freedom of peaceful assembly; freedom of association Question 26: The Queen has been present at a number of important sports occasions. In 1976, she opened the Olympic Games in ______. Ottawa Which monarch proclaimed the National flag in 1965? King George IV What does the Latin name for Nova Scotia mean in English? New Scotland New Star Question 29: Newfoundland was the last province to join Confederation in 1949. What year did the province's name officially change to include Labrador? 1999 What is the name of the highest mountain in Canada? Blackcomb Mountain Yoho Mountain Question 31: In 1957, the Queen officially opened the first session of the 23rd Parliament, becoming the first reigning Canadian monarch to read the ______ from the Throne. Speech Which document made Confederation official and legal?

The British North America Act of 1867 The Dominion Act What is the oldest national park in Canada? Glacier National Park Which country is Canada's major trade partner for energy products? Great Britain In Canada's three northern territories, which phenomenon is sometimes referred to as "the midnight sun"? 24-hour darkness in the fall and winter 24-hour daylight in the summer Lunar eclipse Solar eclipse Question 36: What was the name of the secret routes and safe houses used by 19th-century slaves, led by Harriet Tubman, in the United States to escape to Canada? The Underground Railroad The Great Canadian Escape Route The Freedom Tunnel Question 37: On June 6, 1944, in a bid to roll back the Nazi regime, 15,000 Canadian soldiers stormed which Normandy beach on a day otherwise known as D-Day? Jupiter Beach How many provinces and territories are there in Canada? 13 15 Question 39: Canada has a large population of the world's biggest land-based carnivore (meat-eating animal).

It is the: Grizzly bear Polar bear Question 40: Which of the following is a requirement in order to vote in a Canadian federal election? You are at least 18 years old on election day You are a Canadian citizen You can prove your identity and address All of the above What battle can be described as the Royal Canadian Navy's "finest hour"? Battle of the Caribbean Sea Battle of the Atlantic Battle of the Arctic Question 42: In what province did the “Marathon of Hope” creator and Canadian hero Terry Fox spend most of his life? Quebec The Queen's first visit to Canada was in ______ when she was Princess Elizabeth and aged ______. 1951, 25 Which section of the Parliament buildings was destroyed by fire on February 3, 1916? West Block The Liberation of Western Europe from Nazi rule began in 1944 on: D-Day Which Canadian imagined the idea for the first telephone at his summer house in Canada? Thomas Edison Henry Woodward Question 47: Which year is associated by many with Quebec's "Quiet Revolution," a period of social, political and cultural change.

1960 1980 Question 48: Who wrote the popular novel Anne of Green Gables in 1908, which has since been translated into 15 languages and inspired two films and a musical performed in Charlottetown every year? Lucy Maud Montgomery Who was the only Canadian ever to serve as Prime Minister of Great Britain? Tony Blair On April 1st, 1999, ________ became Canada’s newest territory. Ontario Jacques Cartier was the first European to explore which great Canadian river? Red River What does the Official Languages Act of 1969 stipulate for all Canadians? That every citizen must be bilingual That English is the only official language of Canada That English and French would enjoy equality of status in all institutions of the Parliament and government of Canada That all government documents must be bilingual Question 53: The Trans-Canada Highway is the longest national highway in the world. True What is the most significant difference between Canadian football and American football?

Canadian football allows three downs instead of four Canadian football uses a bigger ball Canadian football is played on a bigger field All of the above The name "Canada" comes from the Iroquois word "Kanata" which means what in English? Maple leaf Who, from June 25 to November 4, 1993, was Canada's first woman prime minister? Michaelle Jean Canada is the world's second largest country by land mass. True False Question 58: Which national project to connect Canadians across the country began in 1871 and was completed six years ahead of schedule in 1885, with the final section constructed in Craigellachie, British Columbia? Trans-Canada Highway Trans-Canada Trail Question 59: What is the name of the dried meat, made by Plains Indians and Métis peoples, that became a staple during the fur trade? Bison The Canadian flag is composed of which colours? Red/White/Blue What is the largest city in Canada? Calgary Toronto Question 62: The British North America Act of 1867 united Upper and Lower Canada, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. Today, Upper and Lower Canada are known as _______ and Quebec.

Ontario In 1812, which country was unsuccessful in its attempt to conquer Canada? Russia Germany Question 64: Since 1982, any change to the position of the Queen or her representatives in Canada requires the unanimous consent of the ______, the House of Commons and the assemblies of all the provinces. the Prime Minister Who is the first Canadian of Haitian origin to be named governor general? Stephen Harper Famous Canadian Roberta Bondar is known for achieving which of the following goals in 1992? She was the first female prime minister She was the first Canadian woman to play in the NHL She was the first Canadian woman to travel into outer space She won a Governor General's Award Question 67: What challenge did Louis Riel pose to Canada? he opposed Confederation he led two armed uprisings that jeopardized Canada's expansion from sea to sea he allied himself to Russia he became an American citizen Question 68: How many territories does Canada have in total? 1 Which of the following is a constitutional responsibility of the governor general of Canada?

To head the Canadian military To ensure that Canada always has a prime minister and a government in place that has the confidence of Parliament To provide leadership and direction to the government with the support of a cabinet To verify all changes to the Canadian Constitution Act Question 70: The Heir Apparent, or successor to Queen Elizabeth II, is named ______. Charles, Prince of Wales Who were the first people to live in Canada? Europeans Vancouver, British Columbia, was named after: An Aboriginal (Cree) name meaning "end of the land" or "coastline of the falling sun" Captain George Vancouver, a Royal Navy officer who was the first European to enter Burrard Inlet on Canada's West Coast The Great Vancouver Fire of June 13, 1886, which struck Gastown. The unofficial name of Vancouver was reported worldwide and subsequently stuck. Mayor John Brian Vancouver, who proposed renaming Gastown after his successful re-election in 1885 Question 73: What is the highest court in Canada? Supreme Court Custom Court Question 74: Which Métis leader, who was a central figure in the Northwest Rebellions and founder of the province of Manitoba, is celebrated on the third Monday of February in Manitoba?

William MacDougall Thomas Scott Question 75: The birth of the Dominion of Canada, also known as "Confederation," occurred on which historic date? July 1, 1817 January 5, 1817 Question 76: In Canada, the Queen's birthday is marked by a public holiday in each year on Victoria Day. This holiday dates back to the reign of Queen Victoria (1837-1901), whose birthday was declared a Canadian holiday in 1845. May September Question 77: ______ fulfill the responsibilities and functions of the Queen in the provinces in the same way that the Governor General does at the national level. Senators Some black Nova Scotians helped found _______ a new British Colony for freed slaves, in 1792. Freetown, Sierra Leone (West Africa) Johannesburg, South Africa What is the head of government in Canada called? President What national public holiday falls on July 1? Vimy Day Canada Day (until 1982, Dominion Day) Question 81: The Queen has visited Canada ______ times. 80 Which is Canada's newest province?

Nunavut Prince Edward Island Question 83: Which structure, made by the Inuit, was traditionally used to indicate directions for travellers, warn of danger, mark a place of respect, or act as a helper in hunting caribou? inukshuk Which Canadian province is the largest in terms of land mass? Nunavut Count Frontenac refused to surrender Quebec to the English in 1690, saying: You have nothing to fear but yourself! Let them eat French fries! My only reply will be from the mouths of my cannons! England expects every man will do his duty! Question 86: Why is Remembrance Day held on November 11 of each year? It was the day that the First World War officially started It is the beginning of poppy season It is Armistice Day when the First World War ended All of the above How many provinces are there in Canada? Ten How many Canadians served in the First World War?

10,000 it is not known how many Question 89: A Mari Usque Ad Mare - From sea to sea Fortis et Liber - Strong and free Splendor Sine Occasu - Splendour without diminishment Quaerite Prime Regnum Dei - Seek ye first the Kingdom of God Question 90: Which of the following factors makes you eligible to vote in a federal election or to cast a ballot in a federal referendum? You are a Canadian citizen You are 18 years of age or older You are a registered voter All of the above Question 91: The efforts of women to achieve the right to vote is known as the women's suffrage movement. Its founder in Canada was Dr. Emily Stowe, the first Canadian woman to practise medicine in Canada. Thanks to her efforts, women received the right to vote in 1916 in which province? Quebec Prince Edward Island Question 92: This historic Canadian figure is known as the first prime minister of the Dominion of Canada and is also featured on the Canadian $10 bill. Sir Wilfrid Laurier Which animal appears on the Canadian quarter? The beaver Canada has two official languages: English and ______.

Spanish Cantonese Question 95: Maple leaves were used to decorate streets and platforms when the Prince of Wales, the future King Edward VII, visited Canada in ______? 1860 Which four provinces or territories were first to join Confederation in 1867? Manitoba, Alberta, Ontario, Quebec Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick Newfoundland, Nunavut, Manitoba, Alberta New York, California, Alabama, Maine Question 97: What is the most recent territory in Canada called? Northwest Territories What is the capital city of Canada (the national capital)? Toronto Which Canadian province is the country's largest producer and exporter of maple syrup? Ontario The beaver was adopted centuries ago as a symbol of which of the following organizations? Calgary Stampede Canada has what percentage of the world's forests? 3% Who was the first Francophone prime minister of Canada after Confederation? Sir Wilfrid Laurier Louis St-Laurent Question 103: Which Canadian Prime Minister was born in Glasgow, Scotland in 1815 and immigrated to Upper Canada in 1820 with his family? Sir Wilfrid Laurier Who was the Queen at the time of Confederation?

Anne Elizabeth II Question 105: The cornerstone of Centre Block in the Parliament Buildings was laid by Prince ______ in 1860; the son of Queen Victoria. Charles When did most women in Canada over 21 years old receive the right to vote? 1969 1918 Question 107: In 1970, there was a major change to the Canadian federal election voting system. What was that change? Women gained the right to vote Personal identification became a necessity to vote The voting age was lowered from 21 to 18 Voting rights were extended to all inmates Question 108: On July 5, 1916, the assembly of the No. 2 Construction Battalion was approved. Why was this battalion different from the rest of the military's battalions? It was Canada's first, and only, battalion consisting of only construction workers It was Canada's first, and only, all-female battalion It was Canada's first, and only, Francophone battalion It was Canada's first, and only, all-black battalion Question 109: The Queen is represented at the federal level in Canada on a day-to-day basis by the ______.

Senator Bilingualism - The Canadian Encyclopedia Culture Bilingualism Bilingualism is the ability to speak or write fluently in 2 languages. In Canada the term has taken on a more particular meaning: the ability to communicate (or the practice of communicating) in both of Canada's official languages, English and French. Bilingualism is the ability to speak or write fluently in 2 languages. In Canada the term has taken on a more particular meaning: the ability to communicate (or the practice of communicating) in both of Canada's official languages, English and French. It has been formalized in language policy in an attempt by government to respond to a difficult social question: to what extent is it possible to make legal and practical accommodations that will allow the 2 official language communities to preserve their cultural distinctiveness and at the same time pursue common goals? "Institutional bilingualism" refers to the capacity of state institutions to operate in 2 languages and should not be confused with a requirement that everyone be bilingual. Historically, institutional bilingualism has recognized the facts of Canada's settlement and development. Implicit in the founding of the Canadian federation was the idea that the English- and French-speaking communities should not only coexist but should complement each other.

The British North America Act of 1867 established English and French as legislative and judicial languages in federal and Québec institutions. It also set out the right to denominational schooling, which at that time was closely associated with the anglophone (Protestant) and francophone (Roman Catholic) linguistic and cultural traditions. The development of the bilingual and bicultural nature of the Canadian federation soon experienced setbacks, partly as a result of the uneven application of principles and partly from a simple lack of linguistic tolerance. Although the British North America Act and the Manitoba Act (1870) accorded the French language official status in Québec and Manitoba, no such recognition was granted to the substantial French-speaking populations of Ontario and New Brunswick. Furthermore, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, a series of legislative enactments across Canada seriously restricted French-language education and virtually eliminated the use of French in provincial legislatures and courts outside Québec. See French in the West . Although the effects of these and other measures understandably linger in the minds of many Canadians, Canada has, since WWII, found a new concern for the official status of English and French and the destiny of minority language communities throughout the country.

At the same time, demographic patterns, and particularly the tendency of francophones outside Québec to become assimilated to the English-speaking community, have increased the polarization between the official language groups. This in turn has brought attention to the relationship of linguistic justice and national unity. Increasingly the enhancement of the French language and culture in Canada and a reaffirmation of the rights of the English language and culture in Québec are seen as fundamental to maintaining a reasonable degree of national integrity. Official Languages Act The problems and demands of bilingualism within the national framework were clearly set forth by the Royal Commission on Bilingualism and Biculturalism (1963-69). Central to the Commission's recommendations was the premise that the English and French minorities throughout Canada, when of reasonable size, should be ensured public services in their own language and afforded as much opportunity as possible to use their mother tongue. The Commission also urged that French become a normal language of work, together with English, in the federal administration and that government documents and correspondence be generally available in both languages. Moreover, the Commission stressed that there was room within an officially bilingual state for other forms of linguistic and cultural pluralism, so that bilingualism and multiculturalism might complement each other.

The Commission's work culminated in the adoption of the federal Official Languages Act (1969) (see Official Languages Act (1988) ), designed to be the cornerstone of institutional bilingualism in Canada. The Act, which declares the "equality of status" of English and French in Parliament and the Canadian public service, applies to all federal departments, judicial and quasi-judicial bodies, and administrative agencies and crown corporations established by federal statute. In addition to prescribing federal reforms and establishing the office of Commissioner of Official Languages to see that they are carried out, the Act has prompted initiatives beyond the federal administration. With encouragement and financial assistance from Ottawa, provincial governments and parts of the para-public and private sectors have begun to re-examine their linguistic policies, at least in the services they offer, and have made some effort to pursue a policy of institutional bilingualism. A new act was adopted in 1988 (see Official Languages Act (1988) ). Provincial Policies The success of any Canadian policy on bilingualism is closely tied to the co-operation of the provinces. Provincial powers in the fields of justice, public services and education can be influenced only indirectly by federal policies.

To complete the picture, numerous administrative, judicial, social and educational services need to be provided by municipal and provincial authorities in regions where there are large minority-language populations. New Brunswick passed an Official Languages Act in 1969, giving equal status, rights and privileges to English and French; since the early 1970s, Ontario has increased the use of French in its courts and has passed a bill guaranteeing French services in those areas of the province where the majority of Franco-Ontarians live; and Manitoba, as a result of a 1979 Supreme Court ruling, is moving towards the translation of its statutes into French and the transformation of its courts into bilingual institutions. The extent of Manitoba's compliance with its constitutional requirements has become the focus of a heated political debate both inside and outside the province, and in 1985 the Supreme Court of Canada gave the province 3 years to translate its laws. Québec has recognized French as its sole official language since 1974. Although a number of government services are available in English (usually on request), the province has the peculiarity of being institutionally bilingual at the constitutional and federal levels while giving official recognition only to French at the level of provincial institutions.

All provinces, helped to some extent by the federal Official Languages in Education Program, now have minority-language education programs. Furthermore, second-language instruction has made remarkable gains across Canada, most conspicuously through the expansion of French-immersion programs in primary schools. Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms In April 1982 the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms came into force. The Charter reinforces previous constitutional principles regarding language use in federal courts and the courts of Québec and Manitoba, reaffirms the availability of bilingual services in the federal administration and confirms New Brunswick as the only completely bilingual province. It also breaks new ground by entrenching minority-language education rights in Canada, guaranteeing the right of children of Canadian citizens who find themselves in an official-language minority situation to an education in their own language wherever numbers warrant it. This guarantee represents a recognition that minority language education rights may be the key to the survival of minority language communities across the country. The principles of NB law establishing the equality of its 2 official language communities were enshrined in the Charter in 1993. The Charter defined what was possible at the time of its enactment in the realm of institutional bilingualism, but its provisions may be developed and extended.

The leadership of federal and provincial authorities in this respect is essential to achieving the underlying goal of language reform in Canada: the possibility for individuals of either anglophone or francophone background to move from province to province without forgoing their fundamental language rights and cultural identity. Suggested Reading Canada, Commissioner of Official Languages, Annual Reports; Royal Commission on Bilingualism and Biculturalism, Report (6 vols, 1967-70). recommended Official Language of Quebec Official Language of Quebec By Rachel Hanson M.A. French In Quebec City, French is the dominant language. The official language of Québec is often confused with the official languages of Canada. While Canada is officially a bilingual country (French and English), Québec is officially a unilingual province; the official language of Québec is French. Similar to the situation in the US, where national and state laws sometimes differ from one another, so it is also with the provinces of Canada. Officially, Canada is a bilingual country, which means that all governmental services have to be available in both official languages of the country. However, in the Province of Québec, the local, provincial law overrides the national law.

Officially, Québec only has one language, and it is legally only required to offer governmental services in French. In practice, there are regions of Québec where many English speakers live, and English speakers who do not speak French are not left stranded every time they need official paperwork. The Province of Québec is just one of the many French speaking areas of the world where French is an official spoken language. Bilingualism in Québec While only about 7.5% of English-speaking Canadians are also fluent in French, some 40% of Québec's French-speaking population is also fluent in English. This discrepency is sometimes cause for debate. In Québec, where the official language is French, many citizens, especially those in the metropolitan region of Montréal, become bilingual. This is not only a result of living in a metropolitan area where both languages are prevalent, it is also the case that residents of this region can have difficulties finding a job if they are not officially bilingual. In more rural regions of Québec, it is much more common to come across native French speakers who are not fluent in English. Rules on the Official Language of Québec In the 1970s drastic measures were taken to further protect the French language within the Province of Québec.

Since Québec had been able to hold on to the French language for so long (since Britain took over Québec/Canada from France), the Quebecois were not willing to lose their language after hundreds of years of protecting it. The French language is a crucial element of the French Canadian culture , and the majority of the citizens of Québec were eager to protect the language. For this reason, an official law was put into place in 1974, followed by a revision in 1977, which made the following requirements on language use in Québec: French is the official language for signs: While signs may have other languages on them as well, all signs must be in French, and if an additional language is added to the sign, the French text must be larger than the other language French is the official language of business: An English native speaker must become bilingual so that he can participate in business in French. French is the official school language (through high school graduation): All children in Québec must attend (public) schooling offered in French. Only children who have one (or both) parent(s) who also attended an English-instruction primary school are allowed to choose for an English primary school.

This means that an American English-speaking immigrant would have to attend a French-speaking school. French is the official language of government and law and all laws and governmental dealings are officially required to be in French While these are only officially four rules, they encompass many aspects of life in Québec. The laws are disputed by some, but heavily protected by the strong desire to protect French as Québec's one and only official language. Was this page useful?

Question: What is the name of the only Canadian province to have French as its sole official language?
Answer: Quebec