Canada’s official languages

Language is an important symbol of identity in Canada: Canada has two official languages, English and French. Anglophones and Francophones have lived alongside each other, acting as partners and occasional adversaries for over three centuries. Any person under the age of 55 wishing to become a Canadian citizen must have a reasonable command of either English or French.

In 1969 the Canadian Government passed the Official Languages Act, with three central purposes: to ensure that French and English have equal importance in every aspect of Canadian government; to assist and promote communities in Canada where speakers of one of the official languages are in the minority; and to ensure that French and English have equal status in Canada generally.