Key Takeaways
- The 2026 census is expected to confirm the decline of French outside Quebec, with only 3.2% of Canadians outside Quebec declaring French as their mother tongue in 2021.
- The federal government’s efforts to promote French, including Bill C-13, are insufficient to halt the decline of French outside Quebec.
- Quebec’s Bill 101, which restricts access to English schools and imposes French as the language of the workplace, has been successful in promoting French in Quebec, but similar measures are needed outside Quebec.
- The concept of Regional Strong Francophone Presence (RSFP) is a step in the right direction, but more needs to be done to ensure the survival of French outside Quebec.
- The decline of French is not limited to areas with small francophone populations, but is also occurring in strongholds such as Moncton and Eastern Ontario.
Introduction to the Decline of French Outside Quebec
The decline of French outside Quebec is a long-standing trend that is expected to continue, with the 2026 census likely to confirm this decline. In 2021, only 3.2% of Canadians outside Quebec declared French as their mother tongue, down from 3.5% in 2016. Furthermore, 41% of francophones outside Quebec no longer use French at home, which is a reliable predictor of a future decline in the number of people with French as their mother tongue. This trend is not surprising, given the dominant use of English in Canada and North America.
The Backdrop to Bill 101
In 1977, Quebec introduced Bill 101, which restricted access to English schools in the province to children of parents educated in English in Canada, thus excluding immigrants and francophones. The bill also imposed French as the language of the workplace for firms with more than 50 employees and for public signs. Bill 101 was successful in halting the decline of French in Quebec, at least in the short term. However, the bill could not foresee the dramatic rise of English as a global language, which has contributed to the decline of French outside Quebec. In 2022, the Quebec government introduced new legislation, Bill 96, which further strengthened Bill 101.
Federal Legislation: A Step in the Right Direction but Insufficient
The federal government’s efforts to promote French, including Bill C-13, which received royal assent in 2023, are a step in the right direction. The bill gives the commissioner of official languages added powers to ensure the right of francophones to work in French in regions with a strong francophone presence. However, the bill does not go far enough in promoting French outside Quebec. The concept of Regional Strong Francophone Presence (RSFP) is a welcome recognition that language and place are tied, but a strong French presence is not sufficient to ensure language survival. A strong French majority is required to ensure the survival of French.
The Decline of French in Strongholds
The decline of French is not limited to areas with small francophone populations, but is also occurring in strongholds such as Moncton and Eastern Ontario. In Moncton, which is close to one-third francophone, one-fifth of francophones declared they no longer use French at home. Even in strongly Acadian Kent County, which was 63% francophone overall in the last census, 13% of francophones no longer speak French at home. The decline of French is a result of the mechanics of linguistic assimilation, which are a simple matter of mathematics and probabilities. The channel is often marriage, and the probability of finding a French-speaking partner in areas with a small francophone population is low.
The Need for a Canadian Bill 101
The decline of French outside Quebec is a result of the lack of measures to promote French, similar to those in place in Quebec. Canada needs its own Bill 101, which would give pre-eminence to French in designated regions outside Quebec. This would involve setting down timelines for making French the language of work in federal government offices in designated RSFPs, and encouraging provinces to follow suit. Additionally, provinces such as New Brunswick, Ontario, and Nova Scotia could require or encourage francophone immigrants to enrol their children in French schools. English school boards could also be discouraged or barred from accepting francophone pupils eligible under Section 23 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
Conclusion
The decline of French outside Quebec is a pressing issue that requires immediate attention. The federal government’s efforts to promote French are insufficient, and more needs to be done to ensure the survival of French outside Quebec. A Canadian Bill 101, which would give pre-eminence to French in designated regions outside Quebec, is necessary to halt the decline of French. This would involve a range of measures, including promoting French in the workplace, encouraging francophone immigration, and restricting access to English schools. Only by taking bold action can we ensure the survival of French outside Quebec and promote a bilingual Canada.