Response to Rebuttal

A “one nation one language” approach is ironic to apply to Canada. Canada’s national identity is about diversity. Even from when it was first founded, both French and English speakers lived on the land. As time went on, Canada took in many immigrants from other countries all over the world. The official languages might be English and French, but many citizens speak other languages. The Indigenous languages are also diverse, with many language families spread across the country (UNESCO 2010, 115) (Fig. 1). Canada’s languages are already diverse and supporting Indigenous languages would add to Canada’s diverse identity.

Some activists are also questioning bilingual requirements, such as the one at the University of Ottawa. Indigenous professors are often bypassed for hiring at the University because they are not French-English bilingual. As a result, the Indigenous Studies and Language program is short on staff, some courses can’t run, and some don’t even have teachers who speak the language (De Silvia-Legault 2023). They suggest lifting the requirement to allow professors who are bilingual in an Indigenous language to be hired, even if they are not French-English bilingual.