Product Description

Bilingual districts were recommended by the Royal Commission on Bilingualism and Biculturalism to help resolve Canada's sociolinguistic tensions. The "cornerstone" of the Commission's 150 recommendations and federal language policy, these administrative enclaves were intended to provide symbolic recognition of minority homelands and delineate where federal, provincial, and municipal public services should be made available in both official languages. In the first systematic study of the subject, Daniel Bourgeois traces the complex path that led to the demise of the plan in 1976, following pressure from the Treasury Board Secretariat. "Canadian Bilingual Districts" also considers the Royal Commission's approach in the context of contemporary developments. Bourgeois argues for the reconsideration of this previously discarded "cornerstone" of federal language policy, providing a nuanced analysis of social identity, sociolinguistic policies, nationalism, and minority rights and services.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1547697 in Books
• Published on: 2006-06-19
• Original language: English
• Dimensions: .0 pounds
• Binding: Hardcover
• 344 pages

Review
"Canadian Bilingual Districts is unmatched on the theme of bilingual districts and adds significantly to an understanding of the broader question of Canadian sociolinguistic theory and policy." Michael Kelway Oliver, director of research, the Royal Commission on Bilingualism and Biculturalism, and founding director, French-Canada Studies Program, McGill University

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