‘The greatest crisis in its history’: past commission offers lessons to policymakers as Bill C-13 returns to the House, say historians

The 1969 Official Languages Act came about at a time when ‘Quebec's frustration was bursting out in a variety of ways,’ says former official languages commissioner Graham Fraser.

Official Languages Minister Ginette Petitpas Taylor, left, pictured with former prime minister Jean Chrétien. Her 2021 mandate letter tasks her with introducing a bill to reform the Official Languages Act, 'taking into consideration the pressing need to protect and promote French.' Bill C-13 was introduced by the federal government in March 2022.The Hill Times photograph by Sam Garcia

Feature

BY IAN CAMPBELL

April 21, 2023

In the heated debate around the federal government’s bill to amend the Official Languages Act—which is headed back to the House after finishing at committee—the history of how language policy has been crafted in Canada may offer lessons to policymakers working on the l...

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