Sorry, I Don't Speak French
Confronting the Canadian Crisis That Won't Go Away
As the threat of another Quebec referendum on independence looms, this book becomes important for every Canadian — especially as language remains both a barrier and a bridge in our divided country
Canada’s language policy is the only connection between two largely unilingual societies — English-speaking Canada and French-speaking Quebec. The country’s success in staying together depends on making it work.
How well is it working? Graham Fraser, an English-speaking Canadian who became bilingual, decided to take a clear-eyed look at the situation. The results are startling — a blend of good news and bad. The Official Languages Act was passed with the support of every party in the House way back in 1969 — yet Canada’s language policy is still…
Graham Fraser is a widely respected journalist who has written in both English and French. Now based in Ottawa as a Toronto Star national affairs writer, he has covered politics in Toronto, Montreal, Quebec City, and Washington. His books include P.Q.: René Lévesque and the Parti Québécois in Power (nominated for the Governor General’s Award) and Playing for Keeps.
