Official Languages Act of Canada

The Official Languages Act of Canada of 1988 is an Act of the Government of Canada which recognizes English and French as the official languages of Canada.

The act of 1988 is a new and improved version of the Official Languages Act of 1969, which was one of the major results of the Royal Commission on Bilingualism and Biculturalism.

The primary impact of the 1969 act was on the court system. Before it there were several provisions for trials and legal documents in both languages in some jurisdictions, but on the whole the legal situation was an incomplete patchwork.

Another major impact was in providing federal services in both languages, where numbers warranted it.

External Link:

• Canadian Department of Justice - Official Languages Act text

Related Link:

• List of Acts of Parliament of Canada