Since 1867
Official Languages in Canada
Displaying 1 - 50 of 135 result(s)
1867
In Ontario, Francophone communities are established along railway routes
Industrialization and railway construction make this a period of prosperity for the province.
1870
Talle-de-Saules (now Willow Bunch), Saint-Laurent-de-Grandin and Batoche leave their mark in Saskatchewan
These new communities, created by Métis families trying to preserve their semi-nomadic lifestyle, are established in regions that will later become part of Saskatchewan.
1871
The Grey Nuns, a Francophone religious order, found the St-Boniface Hospital in Manitoba
The first hospital in Western Canada starts out with only four beds to meet the health care needs of the people of the new province of Manitoba.
1874
Francophone trader François-Xavier Mercier goes head to head with the Hudson’s Bay Company
Mercier builds a trading post in the Yukon, and his efforts will have a major impact on the development of the territory.
1877
An amendment to the Northwest Territories Act gives English and French equal status in the Legislative Assembly and before the courts
This means that English and French are on equal footing.
1880
The Indian Residential Schools system is officially established
Imposing English and French at residential schools has a devastating impact on Indigenous languages and cultures in Canada.
1881
Acadians assert themselves as a people with a distinct national identity
The first Acadian national convention is held in Memramcook, New Brunswick, and will become the foundation of what modern Acadia is today.
1882
The name “Saskatchewan” is used for the first time
The word “Saskatchewan” is derived from an anglicized version of a Cree word, kisiskâciwanisîpiy, meaning “swiftly flowing river.”
1884
A blue, white and red flag with a yellow star is raised in Miscouche, Prince Edward Island
The flag becomes the symbol of the Acadians of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island.
November 16, 1885
Métis leader Louis Riel is executed
Louis Riel is at the centre of the Red River and North-West rebellions.
July 17, 1887
The Union nationale métisse Saint-Joseph du Manitoba is created
It is the leading Métis organization in Canada.
September 4, 1902
The Société historique de Saint-Boniface is founded
The organization’s mission is to preserve the richness of French-Canadian heritage.
1903
The Evangeline area hosts its first agricultural exhibition
The Agricultural Exhibition promotes education and excellence in agriculture.
September 1, 1905
Alberta and Saskatchewan join Confederation
Alberta becomes a province due in large part to the efforts of Sir Frederick William Alpin Gordon Haultain, a lawyer and member of the Council of the Northwest Territories and the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories.
1909
Notre Dame de Lourdes is the first Francophone workers’ community in British Columbia
The community takes root on the banks of the Fraser River east of Vancouver.
1909
Francophone explorers establish a Canadian presence in the territory that will become Nunavut
Between 1904 and 1911, explorer Joseph-Elzéar Bernier leads four expeditions to the Arctic for the Canadian government.
1912
Local chapters of the Société Saint-Jean-Baptiste are established in Saskatchewan
Because they are a minority in Western Canada, French and French-Canadian pioneers seek to preserve their language.
1912
The Société du parler français en Saskatchewan is founded
The Société is created in Duck Lake, with the goal of bringing together French Canadians in Saskatchewan in order to promote, protect and defend their interests and their rights.
August 4, 1914
The First World War breaks out
When the United Kingdom goes to war, Canada—a British dominion—is also officially at war.
The war deepens the divide between English and French Canada like never before.
In 1918, the Military Service Act will impose conscription on all Canadian men between the ages of 20 and 45 for overseas service.
1914
Volunteers form a French-speaking battalion during the First World War
The 22nd (French Canadian) infantry battalion plays a historic role during the war.
1919
The Société Saint-Thomas-d’Aquin is founded
The Société Saint-Thomas-d’Aquin is the voice of Prince Edward Island’s Acadian and Francophone community.
1920
Migration to the Canadian Prairies begins at the end of the 19th century and peaks in the 1920s
French-Canadian migrants and French, Belgian and Swiss immigrants settle in Saskatchewan.
December 13, 1925
The Association canadienne-française de l’Alberta is founded
More than 400 people from all over Alberta lay the foundation for a new association.
October 22, 1926
The first meeting of the secret society of the Commandeurs de l’Ordre de Jacques-Cartier is held in Ontario
The society is a reflection of a certain amount of frustration among French Canadians who feel that their rights are being ignored.
1927
The federal government introduces the first bilingual postage stamps
To mark the 60th anniversary of Confederation, Canada Post issues a series of five stamps.
1937
The first series of bilingual coins and banknotes enters circulation
Legislative amendments by the government require the Bank of Canada to issue bilingual coins and banknotes.
September 10, 1939
Canada enters the Second World War as an independent country
Despite some difficulties, the interests of both language communities are better represented than they were during the First World War.
1950
The linguistic imbalance that has existed since the late 19th century worsens in the Northwest Territories
The Arctic is chosen as the site for a distant early warning line against possible Soviet attacks.
January 15, 1959
Simultaneous interpretation is introduced in the House of Commons
Starting on January 15, 1959, all speeches, questions and debates by all Parliamentarians, regardless of their political affiliation, are translated simultaneously.
1960
An Acadian is elected Premier of New Brunswick
Louis Robichaud will serve three terms, until 1970.
September 10, 1960
The Rassemblement pour l’indépendance nationale is founded in Quebec
It begins as a gathering of about 30 people involved in defending Quebec’s rights; a few weeks later, the Rassemblement pour l’indépendance nationale publishes its manifesto.
1963
Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson establishes the Royal Commission on Bilingualism and Biculturalism
The mandate of the Royal Commission is to inquire into and report on the existing state of bilingualism and biculturalism in Canada.
In a way, this is the start of the bilingualism adventure.
1965
Villa Youville, a French-language seniors’ lodging and care home, opens
Villa Youville is a not-for-profit community corporation.
1966
A French Canadian becomes the highest ranking officer in the Canadian military
General Jean Victor Allard rises to the rank of Chief of Defence Staff and helps to usher in a series of changes to make the Canadian Armed Forces more functionally bilingual.
1967
The Estates General of French Canada are held
The Estates General take place in Montréal, Quebec, from November 23 to 27, 1967.
1968
The Fédération acadienne de la Nouvelle-Écosse is founded
The Fédération acadienne de la Nouvelle-Écosse is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to promoting the growth and global development of Nova Scotia’s Acadian and French-speaking community.
1970
Federal government regional offices with bilingual staff open in Frobisher Bay, Northwest Territories
In 1970, many federal public servants in the region speak French, as do almost all of the employees at Bell Canada’s new regional office.
1970
Keith Spicer becomes the first Commissioner of Official Languages
The first Commissioner would play an important role in implementing the Official Languages Act.
1970
Franco-Saskatchewanians become Fransaskois
The term “Fransaskois” is coined by Father Jean Patoine of Edmonton. It was not until the late 1970s, however, that Franco-Saskatchewanians began identifying with the term “Fransaskois.”
1970
A series of social and political events take place in Quebec, culminating in the October Crisis
The October Crisis occurs during a difficult time for Francophones in Quebec, who felt victimized by the power Anglophones held in society.
1972
St. Boniface is incorporated into the City of Winnipeg
St. Boniface ceases to exist as an independent city and becomes a ward in the Manitoban capital.
1972
Report concludes that French should be the only official language of the province of Quebec
The Commission of Inquiry on the Position of the French Language and on Language Rights in Quebec (also known as the Gendron Commission) issues its findings.
1973
Two important organizations are founded in Eastern Canada
They are the Société des Acadiens du Nouveau-Brunswick and the Fédération des francophones de Terre-Neuve et du Labrador.
1975
In Sudbury, the Franco-Ontarian flag flies for the first time
Franco-Ontarians are the first after the Acadians to have their own flag.
1975
The English-speaking community on Quebec’s Gaspé Coast founds the Committee for Anglophone Social Action
During this politically charged time in Quebec, English-speaking communities join forces to deal with the changes that are occurring.
1975
The Fédération des francophones hors Québec is founded
With the creation of this organization, French-speaking minority communities across the country develop a common vision.
November 15, 1976
The Parti Québécois wins the provincial election with a strong majority
The Parti Québécois advocates independence for Quebec and protection of the French language.
1977
Katimavik is created
The youth exchange program arranges community work placements across the country for thousands of young Canadians and encourages second-language learning.
1977
Maxwell Yalden is appointed as the second Commissioner of Official Languages
During this period of constitutional turmoil, Commissioner Yalden stresses that language guarantees require greater tolerance on the part of Canadians than they have shown in the past.