1. Searching for a new identity
Canada during the 1960s

2. Searching for a new identity
1963 the liberals won the federal election and Lester B Pearson became the PM
Problems he faced:
How could the conflicts between Quebec and the rest of Canada be resolved?
What should Canada’s relationship be with the US?
Was Canadian culture under threat?

3. The Bi and Bi Commission
In his first year in office, Pearson established a Royal Commission on Bilingualism and Biculturalism. They made the following recommendations:
Canada should be officially declared bilingual by making a French and English the official languages of the federal parliament and courts.

4. The Bi and Bi Commission
New Brunswick and Ontario should officially declare themselves bilingual provinces.
Provinces where the minority group is more than 10 percent should provide government services in both English and French.
the region of Ottawa-Hull should be made a national capital area and should be officially bilingual.

5. The Bi and Bi Commission
Students in all provinces should be given a chance to study in both official languages.
More French Canadian should be employed in the federal government.
In Quebec, French should be the main language of work, government, and business.

6. The Bi and Bi Commission Results
Ontario did not become officially bilingual but later passed an act that allowed for government services in French in designated areas.
1968 an Ontario law guaranteed the right to education in French at the elementary and secondary levels.

7. The Bi and Bi Commission Results
Some French community areas in Ontario, New Brunswick, and Manitoba struggled for recognition of language rights until the 1980s and 1990s.

8. The Official Languages Act, 1969
The Bi and Bi Commission had recommended a policy of official bilingualism. It was up to the federal government to respond.
PM Trudeau said this was the most important issue between French-English relations since the conscription crisis.

9. The Official Languages Act, 1969
1969, his government passed the Official Languages Act.
The English and French languages are the official languages of Canada for all purposes of the Parliament and Government of Canada and possess and enjoy equality of status and equal rights and privileges as to their use in all the institutions of the Parliament and Government of Canada.

10. The Official Languages Act, 1969
Results:
Federal funds provided to promote bilingualism, for example, French language radio, TV, product labels, all government services.
Government promoted more French-speaking jobs.

11. The Official Languages Act, 1969
Criticisms:
Outside Quebec, many felt they were having French “rammed down their throats”.
Felt that the French were getting special treatment and that the dual language system was wasteful.

12. The Official Languages Act, 1969
Criticisms:
Canada was becoming more multicultural, so why were the French given ‘special’ status.

13. The End