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A graphic showing English-French bilingualism in Canada.
The Graphic Truth: English-French bilingualism in Canada
Parlez-vous le français? Probably pas très bien if you live outside Quebec, according to census data from Statistics Canada.
The share of Canadians who can hold a conversation in both English and French has plateaued around 18% for two decades, despite strong legal protections for the French language and official encouragement of bilingualism.
The background: Political rivalries between English and French-speaking Canadians dominated the early history of the country, and fuel some radical independence movements in Quebec even today. Official adoption of bilingualism at a federal level in 1969 was meant to help heal the rift.
And in the first three decades, it met with considerable success. The share of bilingual Canadians rose from 12.2% in 1961 to 17.7% in 2001.
However, most of the growth came in Quebec, which continues to push up the national rate of bilingualism. Nearly half of Quebeckers are bilingual, compared to less than 1 in 10 Canadians from other provinces.
Statistics Canada explains that English-speaking Canada has simply outgrown the share of the country with French as their mother tongue, but also pointed out that Canadians whose mother tongue is neither French nor English —- mostly immigrants — are less likely to learn both of Canada’s official languages.
But there’s one more wrinkle: Quebeckers whose mother tongue is neither English nor French are actually more likely than the general population to speak both languages, with 50.8% able to hold a conversation in French, English and their mother tongue. Incroyable!
Hard Numbers: US inflation soars, India health worker shortage, Quebec’s no-vax tax, African soccer scandal
7: US monthly inflation in December crept up to 7 percent, the highest year-on-year rise since 1982. The Federal Reserve has signaled it may raise interest rates higher, and sooner, than previously expected to fight rising prices.
17: India has just 17 active health workers per 10,000 people — far below the WHO-recommended minimum of 44.5 — as more doctors, nurses, and midwives get sick with omicron. The staff shortage is worse in rural areas, where three-quarters of the Indian population live, threatening another COVID emergency.
10: The Canadian province of Quebec plans to slap the world's first no-vax tax on the 10 percent of adults there who remain unvaccinated against COVID for non-medical reasons. No specifics yet on how much, but Premier François Legault says it'll be a "significant amount."
2: A Zambian ref caused a scandal at the African Cup of Nations soccer tournament in Cameroon by not once, but twice blowing the final whistle early in a group-stage match between Mali and Tunisia. Mali won 1-0, but the Tunisians are furious and want the game to be restarted to play the few remaining minutes.