Official languages
Canadians have used French and English in parliamentary debates and courts since
Confederation, and the country has recognized them as official languages for the past fifty years. The Official Languages Act of 1969, established under former Prime Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau’s government, aimed to ensure Canadians had access to federal services in either language. In 1988, the Official Languages Act was revised, and it was updated again in 2005, all to extend and to promote the use of both languages.