Canada's Official Languages : Policy Versus Work Practice in the Federal Public Service

The author points out that Canada’s official languages legislation (1969 and 1988) fundamentally altered the composition and operational considerations of federal government institutions. She notes that with legislative change, Canada’s public service achieved the equitable representation of its two official languages groups, provided services to the public in both official languages, and has codified rights for public servants to work in their official language of choice. On paper, she maintains, the regime is robust. In practice, the author argues, there is a persistent divergence between policy and practice, as English still dominates as the regular language of work in the federal public service. She concludes that the the roles of actors, ideas and institutions that influenced the policy implementation process shows that a lack of structural change, inadequate managerial engagement, and a false sense that both official languages are equally ingrained in the public service explain the persistence of English as the dominant language of work.

Ottawa. ON

University of Ottawa Press

2019

xi-145p.

en

978-0-7766-2335-1