First, I want to mention that we looked long and hard at representatives of the federal government abroad in terms of linguistic duality. We conducted two studies that may interest you.
One of them looks at policies of the Department of Foreign Affairs. How does this department integrate linguistic duality into its policies? We are conducting a follow-up to this study, which was published in 2004 or 2005.
We also conducted a study of the Websites of embassies and foreign missions here, in Canada, and international organizations using French and English as official languages. It was very instructive. This study might also interest you.
Linguistic duality is basically the equality or the recognition of the equal status of our two official languages. We are talking about linguistic rights that are entrenched in the Canadian Constitution or the Official Languages Act. We are also talking about values. Each bill is based on a vision, and the Constitution only translates a country's vision into legal terms.
In my opinion, the values who underline linguistic duality are the equality among citizens, respect for differences and justice.
What links these two concepts?
In Canada, cultural diversity is expressed in two languages, French and English. First, I am wearing my commissioner's hat, which truly illustrates the marriage between the two main linguistic communities. The OCOL also represents the social fabric of Canada. Each linguistic community is represented, and the fabric of each comprises numerous threads representing the different cultures.
Canada, and then Quebec, was one of the defenders of cultural diversity before UNESCO. Cultural diversity is mentioned in this declaration, but not linguistic diversity.
In my mind, what links cultural diversity and linguistic duality is that both concepts are based on the same values, meaning equality among citizens, no matter what their culture is , respect for differences, because being open to different cultures also means respecting and welcoming that difference and, of course, social justice.
Linguistic duality exists in Canada because those who built this country adopted two official languages, two cultures, two religions, two legal systems, etc. Those factors have shaped the temperament of Canadians, because they have always lived with this kind of unease and discomfort caused by the need to constantly accept differences, unlike the situation in a unitary state. This is also the reason why Canada and Canadians are recognized throughout the world as a people who, although not perfect in its treatment of immigrants, is more welcoming that most other countries in the world.
In my opinion, this is because we have matured and adopted a model based on diversity. Linguistic duality is one difference. In this sense the two make a whole, and feed-off of each other.