Official Languages Act (1969), federal statute that declares French and English to be the official languages of Canada, and under which all federal institutions must provide their services in English or French at the customer's choice. The Act (passed following the recommendation of the Royal Commission on BILINGUALISM AND BICULTURALISM) created the office of Commissioner of Official Languages to oversee its implementation. Politically, the Act has been supported by all federal parties, but the public's understanding and acceptance of it has been mixed. In June 1987 the Conservative government introduced an amended Official Languages Act to promote official language minority rights.
AUTHOR: MAX YALDEN Revised: OFFICE OF THE COMMISSIONER OF OFFICIAL LANGUAGES
