Résumés
Abstract
The introduction of the Report of the Royal Commission on Bilingualism and Biculturalism lays the foundation for two official language minority communities in Canada, and the principle of equality, which “implies respect for the idea of minority status, both in the country as a whole and in each of its regions.” However, the Official Languages Act that flowed from the ‘Bi and Bi Commission, and the structures that oversee it, have not reflected an approach based on equality. The English-speaking community of Quebec—Canada’s English linguistic minority community—has not received “generous treatment” in the implementation of the Act. This paper based on my presentation at the 87th annual Acfas congress, offers some ideas about why this situation has developed and the impact this has had on the vitality of Quebec’s English-speaking community. I conclude that equality for both official language minority communities—the outcome envisioned by the Commissioners—must be achieved through the modernization of the Official Languages Act.
Keywords:
- English-speaking minority,
- linguistic minority,
- Official Languages Act,
- implementation of linguistic rights,
- interpretation of linguistic rights
Résumé
L’introduction de la Commission royale d’enquête sur le bilinguisme et le biculturalisme jette les bases des deux communautés de langue officielle en situation minoritaire au Canada et du principe d’égalité, qui « valorise la notion de minorité non seulement dans l’ensemble du pays, mais également dans chacune de ses régions ». Toutefois, la Loi sur les langues officielles, issue de la Commission, de même que les structures conçues pour l’appuyer ne reflètent pas une approche fondée sur l’égalité. La communauté d’expression anglaise du Québec – ou communauté anglophone minoritaire du Canada – n’a pas reçu « un traitement généreux » lors de la mise en vigueur de la Loi. Cet article propose des pistes de réflexion sur les causes de cette situation et examine son impact sur la vitalité de la communauté anglophone du Québec. Je conclus que l’égalité entre les deux communautés de langue officielle en situation minoritaire – résultat souhaité par la Commission – doit passer par la modernisation de la Loi sur les langues officielles.
Mots-clés :
- minorité de langue anglaise,
- minorité linguistique,
- Loi sur les langues officielles du Canada,
- mise en oeuvre des droits linguistiques,
- interprétation des droits linguistiques
Parties annexes
Bibliography
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