In 2000, the United Nations designated International Mother Language Day (February 21) to promote linguistic and cultural diversity and multilingualism. It’s a good time to examine Canada’s multicultural ideology, expansive cultural personality and fascinating array of languages.
Why it matters: According to Canadian cultural anthropologist and author Wade Davis, “Multilingualism is at the heart of Canada’s identity, a fundamental feature of the foundational narrative of the nation.”
Linguistic statistics: Canada’s official languages (languages used in federal government) are English and French. In the most recent census, 58 per cent of Canadians indicated their mother tongue is English, while 22 per cent said they primarily speak French and 17.5 per cent consider themselves bilingual. However, Canada’s 37.5 million residents collectively speak more than 200 languages (70 of which are Indigenous). The country has experienced waves of immigration since the 19th century; paired with policies like the Canadian Multiculturalism Act of 1988, the region boasts one of the highest per capita immigration rates in the world. Immigrants to Canada bring not only a rich collection of skills, education and culture, but also a symphony of languages: Mandarin, Cantonese, Punjabi, Arabic, Spanish, Italian, German, Urdu, Tamil and more. In fact, 20.6 percent of the population converses primarily in a language other than English or French.
Did you know? One of the country’s fastest growing immigrant languages is Tagalog, the primary language of the Philippines. And you won’t just hear immigrant languages in buzzing cosmopolitan centres: the Northwest Territories is home to a burgeoning community of Arabic-speaking Muslims, Quebec has a thriving population of Yiddish-speaking Jewish immigrants, and a sizable number of Northern Alberta families from India speak their native Gujarati.
Indigenous languages comprise a significant number of Canada’s dialects, with Cree, Inuktitut and Ojibway the most spoken. The revitalization of Indigenous languages continues to grow annually: according to census data, the number of people in Canada who can speak an Indigenous language has increased by 3.1 per cent since 2006; plus, there are more people speaking Indigenous languages than people who report Indigenous languages as their mother tongue. Still, these languages are considered endangered, with many native tongues spoken by fewer than 100 people. Considerable efforts are being undertaken to revitalize Indigenous languages and culture, including Canadian libraries, museums and educational institutions introducing resources and curricula from First Nations, Inuit and Metis perspectives.
Key to the future: The preservation of local and immigrant languages remains a priority for Canadians, with bilingual signage appealing to cultural communities, typically English institutions or parks rechristened to Indigenous names, and educational programs enabling people everywhere to immerse themselves in new languages. Again, Wade Davis: “Every language is an old-growth forest of the mind, a watershed of thought, an ecosystem of social, spiritual and psychological possibilities. Each is a window into a universe, a monument to the specific culture that gave it birth and whose spirit it expresses.”
We’ve barely scratched the surface of Canada’s language story. Read on for a snapshot of Canada’s ongoing commitment to, and fascination with, languages and cultures.
Signs of the times: Unlike in many other countries, multilingual signage is common across Canada.
Road signs in regions with significant anglophone and francophone populations, such as Quebec and New Brunswick, prioritize bilingual (English and French) signage, as well as a heavy reliance on symbols rather than text.
In Inuvik, Northwest Territories, stop signs across town feature stickers translating directives into the Inuvialuktun and Gwich’in languages.
In British Columbia, the Sea to Sky Cultural Journey from Vancouver to Whistler includes signage in English and local Indigenous languages. And ambassadors at the Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre in Whistler greet visitors in English, as well as Sk̲wamesh Snichem (Squamish Nation) and Ucwalmícwts (Lil’wat Nation) languages.
In Vancouver, BC, public art in Chinatown commemorates Chinese language, culture and preservation of heritage assets with a neon sign reading 鹹水埠温哥华 (which translates to “Saltwater City Vancouver”, a moniker once commonly used by the Chinese community), among other visually interesting signage.
What’s in a name? While the formal names of most institutions, facilities and venues across Canada are in English, there’s a growing movement to expand the possibilities for naming to alternative heritage languages. A circle of language keepers from Indigenous nations throughout Inuit Nunangat and Treaty 1 Territory in Manitoba have rechristened an important art centre in Winnipeg. The Winnipeg Art Gallery (WAG) was given an Anishinaabemowin name: Biindigin Biwaasaeyaah (BEEN-deh-gen Bi-WAH-say-yah), which translates to “come in, the dawn of light is here”. A new section of the gallery, formerly known as the Inuit Art Centre – opening to the public in February 2021 – is now called Qaumajuq (kow-ma-yourk or how-ma-yourk) – Inuktitut for “it is bright, it is light”, a nod to the natural light that flows into the building.
Two national historic sites in Quebec and Prince Edward Island have updated their names to better reflect local Indigenous heritage. Fort Témiscamingue in Quebec is now called Obadjiwan-Fort Témiscamingue (Obadjiwan means “where the water rises in the rapids”); and Port-la-Joye-Fort Amherst is now called Skmaqn-Port-la-Joye-Fort Amherst (pronounced Ska-MAA-kin, which means “the waiting place”).
In Vancouver, BC, Indigenous names were given to two major downtown plazas. The plaza adjacent to Queen Elizabeth Theatre is now šxʷƛ̓exən Xwtl’a7shn, which connects to the area’s past use as a gathering place for the Walk of Reconciliation; and the plaza north of the Vancouver Art Gallery, which refers to a place of cultural gathering. Members of the local Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh Nation helped select the names.
Continuing education: Museums, libraries and educational institutions across Canada are helping to preserve and promote local languages, and even regional dialects, through curricula, exhibitions and translated resources. Newfoundland and Labrador’s unique dialect has been captured in the comprehensive Dictionary of Newfoundland English, which relays pronunciations and definitions for Newfoundlandic variations of English dating back four centuries.
In Trois-Rivières, Quebec, an exhibition on regional pop culture at the Musée Pop explores themes selected by 1,000 citizens, including language and music. Each theme is introduced with a relevant Quebeçois expression; there’s a section where visitors can listen to various accents enunciated by Quebec speakers.
The Mi’kmaq-Wolastoqey Centre at the University of New Brunswick in Fredericton, New Brunswick has unveiled the Wabanaki Collection, a comprehensive online resource named for the first peoples of the region – the Mi’kmaq, Wolastoqiyik,Abenaki, Penobscot and Passamaquoddy.
Each piece of content relates to Wabanaki worldviews, including language, history, culture and education, allowing educators to incorporate expanded perspectives into their classrooms and develop more inclusive curricula.
In Victoria, BC, the Royal BC Museum’s Our Living Languages exhibition shares how First Nations communities across the province are advocating for the survival of their languages. From a global perspective, BC is considered among the most linguistically diverse regions, largely due to the vitality of its First Nations languages, 34 of which are explored in the exhibition.
Built on Treaty 7 Territory, Calgary Central Library in Calgary, Alberta collaborates with Stoney Nation, Siksika Nation, Tsuu’tina Nation, Metis Nation of Alberta and Aboriginal Friendship Centre of Calgary to incorporate Indigenous visual and oral storytelling throughout the facility.
Visitors can browse the Indigenous Languages Resource Centre to explore Treaty 7 languages, and join the Elders’ Guidance Circle for storytelling. In addition, books about Indigenous languages have been added to the library’s permanent collection, as have children’s stories celebrating Indigenous languages and cultures.
The First Peoples’ Cultural Council, headquartered in Brentwood Bay, BC, offers various programs focused on language preservation, including the Language Revitalization Planning Program, which provides up to $100,000 in funding to support wages, equipment, resource materials and honoraria for First Nations communities across BC.
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