Module 3

Official and minority language

Thanks to the various Yukon Francophones organizations, including l’Association franco-yukonnaise and its partners, the French language continues to shine in the territory, especially in Whitehorse.

The presence of the French language in the Yukon is also an advantage for Francophones from other provinces or other countries who decided to settle in the territory after being charmed by its scenic beauty and its community.

Beyond the community, there is a legal context for the linguistic duality in the Yukon and issues linked to the French language in a minority setting. These make the Yukon Francophone community landscape a unique one. Discover why it is possible to have institutions in French in the Yukon and where the right to speak the language of our choice comes from.

Go on a journey of discovery

Furthering Your Knowledge

Exogamous family

Linguistic insecurity

« Linguistic insecurity can be described as a sense of unease, discomfort or anxiety experienced when using or attempting to use one’s first language or a second language due to a variety of environmental, perceptional, interpersonal, organizational, cultural and social factors. »

In other words, linguistic insecurity can manifest itself as a fear of “speaking badly,” although in fact, there is not just one monolithic French language. This perception comes from the differences between the French taught and the French used by the students and the community.
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The youth cultural committee (grades 5 and 6) at École Émilie-Tremblay took action to address this issue in a short video that presents re-enactments of real-life situations at the schools and interviews with teachers.
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Sources: ACELF
Yukon: A United and Active Francophonie

Watch this video, which is aimed at building students’ awareness of the phenomenon of linguistic insecurity.

« I never felt like the French language was in danger in the Yukon. I think that the Francophone community is so united and active that it allows the rest of the population to have a positive view of French and thus develop the desire to learn this language. However, I really think that the difference lies in the value that the community places on its language. The Yukon is proof that this constant struggle to keep our language is worthwhile. A lot of Francophone families come to live here because they know they will be able to flourish in their language. »

If you are curious to know more about linguistic insecurity, Francosphère recommends a series of articles in French on the topic, including what linguistic insecurity is, how it manifests itself and how to overcome it.

The issues outlined above demonstrate the importance of pursuing the necessary actions to ensure that the French language continues to be used in a minority setting. Yukon Francophone institutions and organizations make a significant contribution to meeting the challenges faced by the minority Francophone community. They also create winning partnerships with organizations in the majority community to address issues of common interest.

Francosphère, 2018

Access to health services in French

Did you know?

That the Government of Canada tried twice, unsuccessfully, to impose the Official Languages Act in the Yukon.
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The Government of Yukon did not want to go so far as to declare the territory officially bilingual. The Official Languages Act would have imposed obligations beyond what the Yukon was willing to accept.

The Government of Yukon reached a compromise with the Government of Canada by creating its own act in 1988. The Languages Act recognized the status of French but also the importance of Aboriginal languages.

Despite the Constitution Act of 1867 that proclaimed the equal status of French and English, English gained a foothold. It was only in 1969, with the Official Languages Act, that language rights for Francophones began increasingly to be upheld in the country.

Some Modifications:

In 1988, the act specified the obligations of federal institutions to enhance the vitality of the English and French linguistic minority communities in Canada and support their development, as well as to foster the full recognition and use of both English and French in Canadian society. Federal departments needed to consult the communities and, whenever possible, use their programs to contribute to the development of these communities in areas such as economic development, health, cultural development, justice, etc.

In 2005, it was specified that the obligation of federal departments to contribute to the vitality of minority linguistic communities could be the subject of a court challenge if it were not fulfilled.

In 2023, Bill C-13, the Act for the Substantive Equality of Canada’s Official Languages, was adopted by the Senate. This new act recognized that French was vulnerable across the country and required specific protection measures. It gave new powers to the Commissioner of Official Languages to make orders and impose penalties, centralized even more the coordination of the implementation of the Official Languages Act in the federal system and specified federal institutions’ obligations to consult and take positive measures towards linguistic minorities. It also created an obligation for the government to adopt a policy on Francophone immigration with the aim of restoring the demographic weight of Francophone and Acadian communities.

MODULE 3

Quiz