English and French Canada: Language, Identity and History

Canada is home to two official languages — English and French — and the communities that speak them have shaped the country in profound ways. From the Acadian settlers of the Maritime provinces to the descendants of New France in Quebec, French-speaking Canada has a distinct identity rooted in centuries of history. English-speaking Canada, built by waves of British settlers, forms the other pillar of this bilingual foundation. Understanding both communities is essential for the citizenship test.

A Country Built on Two Languages

Canadian society today flows largely from two European Christian civilisations: the English-speaking and the French-speaking traditions brought to North America by settlers centuries ago. English and French remain the country’s two official languages Languages that have special legal status in a country's government and institutions. In Canada, both English and French have this status at the federal level. , and the federal government is required by law to provide services in both languages across the country.

The numbers reflect just how significant both communities are. There are approximately 18 million Anglophones People who speak English as their first language. in Canada, and around seven million Francophones People who speak French as their first language. . While most Francophones live in the province of Quebec, approximately one million Francophones live in Ontario, New Brunswick and Manitoba, with a smaller presence in other provinces.

The Acadians: Survival Against the Odds

The Acadians The descendants of French colonists who began settling in the Maritime provinces in 1604. They developed a distinct identity and culture separate from the French settlers of Quebec. are the descendants of French settlers who began arriving in what are now the Maritime provinces in 1604 — making them among the earliest European settlers in Canada.

Their history includes one of Canada’s most harrowing chapters. Between 1755 and 1763, during the war between Britain and France, more than two-thirds of the Acadians were forcibly expelled from their homeland. This period is known as the Great Upheaval The forced deportation of the Acadian people between 1755 and 1763, during which more than two-thirds of Acadians were expelled from the Maritime provinces. . Despite the enormous suffering this caused, the Acadians endured. They maintained their distinct identity, language and culture — and Acadian culture today is a lively and flourishing part of French-speaking Canada.

Quebecers and the French Fact in Canada

The Quebecers The people of the province of Quebec, the vast majority of whom are French-speaking. are the people of Quebec, and the overwhelming majority are French-speaking. Most are descendants of approximately 8,500 French settlers who arrived in the 1600s and 1700s, and they have maintained a unique identity, culture and language across the centuries since.

In 2006, the House of Commons formally recognised that the Québécois The French-speaking people of Quebec, recognised by the House of Commons in 2006 as forming a nation within a united Canada. form a nation within a united Canada — a significant acknowledgement of Quebec’s distinct place in the country.

Quebec is also home to about one million Anglo-Quebecers, an English-speaking community with a heritage stretching back 250 years, who form a vibrant part of the province’s social fabric.

English-Speaking Canada and Its British Roots

The basic shape of life in English-speaking Canada was established by hundreds of thousands of English, Welsh, Scottish and Irish settlers, soldiers and migrants who came to Canada from the 1600s through to the 20th century. Generations of pioneers from British backgrounds — alongside many other groups — invested, built and endured hardship to lay the foundations of the country. This shared history is why English-speaking Canadians are generally referred to as English Canadians.