In 1969, Pierre Trudeau passed the Official Languages Act which declared English and French as the official languages of Canada, and ended the conflict between English and French Canadians. Before in 1968, Trudeau described bilingualism as the most important issue in French and English relations since the conscription crisis (Bélanger, 22 Nov 2014). It was an Act Respecting the Status of Official Languages in Canada (Bélanger, 22 Nov 2014). A greater role given to French Canadians and their language in the federal government, Trudeau hoped to change Québec nationalism and deliver a deadly blow to separatism in Québec (Bélanger, 22 Nov …show more content…
In 1971, Pierre Trudeau created the Multiculturalism Policy which allowed many racial groups to be who they are after immigrating to Canada, and prevent discrimination. Trudeau adopted policies, created programs and financed groups to enable minorities to maintain their own identity and resist social assimilation (Plamondon, 23 Nov 2014). While Canada had become officially bilingual, Trudeau did not want Canada’s multicultural communities to feel left out from the rest of Canada (Plamondon, 23 Nov 2014). Trudeau announced that Canada would adopt policies embracing the country’s multicultural dimension, a first on the world stage. (Plamondon, 23 Nov 2014) Since the policy implied an end to the racial and cultural discrimination of immigrants, Trudeau faced no opposition (Plamondon, 25 Nov 2014).
“There cannot be one cultural policy for Canadian of British and French origin, another for the original peoples and yet third for all others. For all through there are two official languages, there is no official culture, nor does any ethnic group take precedence over any other. No citizen or group of citizens is other than Canadian, and all should be treated fairly” (Trudeau, 23 Nov