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Living in French,
Quebec |
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 French
: 5,700,150
English : 586,435
(provided by l'Office de la langue française)
The French Language Situation in Quebec
It is possible to live in English in Quebec, but in general,
French is the dominant language. According to the Interdepartmental
Committee report on the French language situation,
published in March 1996, there has been a clear progression
towards generalization of the use of the French language
in Quebec. However, the same committee notes that the results
obtained are "below the expectations outlined in the
French Language Charter and the needs of
Quebec society in the year 2000".
Significant progress for French has been made over
the last twenty years:
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There are now more Quebecers who use
French in their daily lives. In 1991, 83% of the Quebec
population spoke French most often at home, compared to
80.8% in 1971. However, there were only 58% who did so
on Montreal Island.
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The majority of young immigrants now
attend French-language schools. Before the adoption of
the French Language Charter, 80% of young allophones attended
English schools; in 1995, 80% of primary 'foreign language'
students are registered in French schools.
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For more information, you may consult
the Office de la langue française's Internet site
at http://www.olf.gouv.qc.ca, in particular under the
section entitled La situation de la langue française
au Québec.
Education resources available in French
The education system in Quebec is complicated. Primary
and secondary schools in the public sector are grouped under
Catholic or Protestant school boards. Students may study
in French or in English according to certain measures outlined
in the French Language Charter.
In 1993-94, 1908 primary schools and 581 secondary schools
were French-language institutions. In addition, 199 schools
offered instruction at both the primary and secondary levels
in French.
There are also 40 Francophone Cegeps situated throughout
Quebec and four Francophone universities, one of which has
six campuses.
Communications
Quebec has all the capabilities with respect to information
diffusion. There are nine daily French-language newspapers,
111 French radio stations and 40 French television channels.
The Interdepartmental Committee's Report on the
French-Language Situation
This report was produced by a committee composed of deputy
ministers and chairpersons of government organizations.
Their mandate, received from the minister responsible for
the French Language Charter, was to assess
the French language situation in Quebec with respect to
its enhancement and expansion.
The 319 page document, published in March 1996, describes
the French language situation in Quebec in 1995 and therefore
contains the most recent information on the subject. Anyone
interested in reading this document may do so by consulting
the following title:
Le français, langue commune -
Enjeu de la société québécoise,
rapport du Comité interministériel sur la
situation de la langue française, ministère
de la Culture et des Communications, Québec, 1996,
319 p.
French Language Charter
This law came into effect in August 1977. It encompasses
French as the official language of Quebec and proclaims
the fundamental linguistic rights of Quebecers as citizens,
workers, consumers and students. (Article 2-6).
It contributes to "confirming the French language
as the language of the State and Law as well as the habitual
language of work, learning, communications, commerce and
business. (Preamble)
More information on this law may be obtained by consulting
the Internet site of the Office de la langue française
(http://www.olf.gouv.qc.ca), particularly in the section
entitled La Charte de la langue française
which presents the annotated text of the law.
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