Reading Time: 6 minutesDisponible en français. Can you vote in the official language of your choice during Canadian federal elections? The answer depends on which government agency you ask. A Matter of Interpretation The Commissioner of Official Languages of Canada and the Chief… Read More ›
Education, language and training
Executive Summary – Official Languages in the Federal Public Service
Reading Time: 2 minutesDisponible en français. The purpose of the Official Languages Act (OLA) is to ensure respect for English and French as the official languages of Canada. Pursuant to the OLA and to regulations and current policies, federal institutions are guided by certain fundamental principles that… Read More ›
Executive Summary – The Official Languages Act: Understanding Its Principles and Implementation
Reading Time: < 1 minuteDisponible en français. The purpose of the Official Languages Act (OLA) is to ensure respect for English and French as the official languages of Canada. It was enacted in 1969, revised in 1988 and 2005, and overhauled in 2023 to adapt to the legal, technological and sociodemographic realities… Read More ›
Executive Summary – Language Regimes in the Provinces and Territories
Reading Time: 2 minutesDisponible en français. This HillStudy presents a non-exhaustive overview of the language regimes in place in the provinces and territories, and it briefly describes the main features of each one. In Canada, jurisdiction over language is shared between the various levels… Read More ›
Celebrating Indigenous Leadership in Elementary and Secondary Education
Reading Time: 6 minutesDisponible en français. On 21 June, National Indigenous Peoples Day, communities across Canada hold events that celebrate Indigenous cultures and contributions. To highlight this special day, the following HillNote focuses on examples of Indigenous leadership in elementary and secondary education,… Read More ›
R. v. Tayo Tompouba: The Judge as “Ultimate Guardian” of the Accused’s Language Rights
Reading Time: 6 minutesDisponible en français. In May 2024, the Supreme Court of Canada ordered a new trial in French for an accused who had not been informed of his right to be tried in the official language of his choice. The accused… Read More ›
Executive Summary – Language Regimes In the Provinces and Territories
Reading Time: 2 minutesDisponible en français. In Canada, language is an area of shared jurisdiction between the various levels of government. Although the federal government has established its own support measures, it relies on the provinces and territories to help ensure the nationwide recognition of both official languages – English and French. This HillStudy provides an overview of the language regimes established… Read More ›
The Parliament of Canada and the Francophonie
Reading Time: 5 minutesDisponible en français. On 8 July 2022, a Canadian parliamentarian [in French] was elected president of the Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie (APF) for a two-year term. The APF is the parliamentary arm of what is referred to as the “institutional… Read More ›
Race and Ethnicity: Evolving Terminology
Reading Time: 4 minutesDisponible en français. Today, as attitudes toward different cultures and conceptions of race evolve, so too do the terms used to describe various population groups in Canada. Knowing which terms to use and to whom they apply can often be… Read More ›
Putting Indigenous Perspectives on the Map: Indigenous Mapping and Place Names*
Reading Time: 6 minutesDisponible en français. For National Indigenous Peoples Day on June 21, communities across Canada will hold events to celebrate Indigenous cultures and contributions to Canada. Indigenous peoples are working to put Indigenous perspectives on the map of Canada. This HillNote… Read More ›