In Canada, The Official Languages Act gives English and French equal status in the country’s government. Fostering bilingualism is something the nation has prided itself in since it was enacted in September of 1969. The bilingual status promoted in the Act is one of the defining features of the nation’s identity, and it has been a crucial factor in the preservation of national unity. In his latest report, Graham Fraser, the Commissioner of Official Languages, declared that there has been a general decline in bilingualism in the federal public service. Fraser found instances of negligence in even the highest rankings of the Canadian government, where English was becoming the go-to-language in what was becoming a unilingual system. The government will need to find a way to enhance its policy in order to preserve Canadian law, policy and excellence.

Original article: http://www.montrealgazette.com/life/Editorial+Federal+bilingualism+must+allowed+slide/9161534/story.html