Canadian Culture: #17. French Language and Bilingualism 🗣️ Did you know Canada is officially bilingual—English AND French? French has been part of Canada’s identity since the 1600s, when French explorers and settlers established Quebec. Today, around 8 million Canadians speak French as their first language, most of them in Quebec, but also in New Brunswick, Ontario, and across the country. In 1969, the Official Languages Act was passed, guaranteeing equal status for both English and French in g