Linda Cardinal

The Ideological Limits of Linguistic Diversity in Canada

This paper discusses the political, or ideological, use of official languages (English and French) data in Canada. A more pragmatic use of official languages data would enable policy actors to better address the unequal relations between English and French. Specific suggestions are made in order to move the debate in that direction.

THE LIMITS OF BILINGUALISM IN CANADA

This article explores the limits of bilingualism in Canada. First, it discusses the politics of bilingualism in Canada. Secondly, it examines the most recent data on official languages and bilingualism. Thirdly, it proposes a critical analysis of the federal governments first action plan for the promotion of official languages and bilingualism. It argues that there is much need for better planning and policy-making in the area of official languages in Canada.

Empowering Linguistic Minorities: Neo-liberal Governance and Language Policies in Canada and Wales

Abstract The article discusses the impact of neo-liberal governance on the development of language policy and group politics in Canada and in Wales. It outlines changes in the nature and governance of language policies in both countries and looks at their implications for group politics. It argues that the impact of neo-liberalism will depend on whether groups have access to resources or key players and on their use of existing norms and values embodied by institutions, such as the constitution or past practices. The article concludes by arguing that one cannot take for granted that neo-liberalism is either ‘bad’ or ‘good’ for group politics without studying in more detail the role of institutions in their relationship between the state and civil society.

Language politics and horizontal governance

Abstract This article discusses Canadas governance of official language minorities since the 1990s. More specifically, it examines the growing participation of official language minority groups in the governance of policy initiatives in sectors such as community development, culture, and economic development. It argues that horizontal governance is transforming our understanding of language planning, but also that official language minorities believe they need to maintain political pressure on the Canadian government for more positive measures towards their empowerment. In other words, horizontal governance is no substitute for language politics. Firstly, the article reviews recent debates on the politics and governance of identity-based policies such as language policies. Secondly, it provides information on Canadas official language policy and on the context which led to development of a new governance of official language minorities. Thirdly, it discusses results from a series of studies which help understand the resistance of official language minorities towards horizontal governance. In conclusion, the article argues for more research on the impact of horizontal governance on language planning.

Le droit au choix et le choix du Droit: l'expérience de l'Ontario Coalition for Abortion Clinics et le jugement Morgentaler

This article looks at the political significance of the pro-choice movement in the Canadian province of Ontario. It focuses more specifically on the discursive practices of the Ontario Coalition for Abortion Clinics (OCAC) and its use of law as a tool to effective change. By comparing the language of the Morgentaler judgment to that of the prochoice movement, this article attempts to explore the reference to law as a path for social change and, namely, as a site of discursive construction of norms and representations, as opposed to a simplistic definition of law as a site of power struggles.

The Politics of Language Roadmaps in Canada: Understanding the Conservative Government's Approach to Official Languages

This article critically examines the Conservative governments approach to official languages, through a policy instrument framework. Special attention is paid to the third federal roadmap for official languages—the first having been unveiled by the Liberal government in 2003 and the second by the Conservative minority government in 2008—and how this roadmap conveys a new representation of official languages in relation to Canadian identity and citizenship. The focus on the linguistic integration of new immigrants in the 2013 language roadmap generates interest. The policy instrument framework also shows how language roadmaps represent the fourth generation of official language policies in Canada; the first three generations found their respective bases in the 1969 Official Languages Act , the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the 1988 Official Languages Act . The article concludes that an analysis of language roadmaps elucidates transformations initiated by the Conservative governments in the area of official languages in Canada. It also promotes further exploration and analysis of language policies through the policy instrument framework.

State Traditions and Language Regimes: A Historical Institutionalism Approach to Language Policy

Abstract This paper is an elaboration of a theoretical framework we developed in the introductory chapter of our co-edited volume, State Traditions and Language Regimes (McGill-Queen’s University Press, 2015). Using a historical institutionalism approach derived from political science, we argue that language policies need to be understood in terms of their historical and institutional context. The concept of ‘state tradition’ focuses our attention on the relative autonomy of the state in terms of its normative and institutional traditions that lead to particular path dependencies of language policy choices, subject to change at critical junctures. ‘Language regime’ is the conceptual link between state traditions and language policy choices: it allows us to analytically conceptualize how and why these choices are made and how and why they change. We suggest that our framework offers a more robust analysis of language politics than other approaches found in sociolinguistics and normative theory. It also challenges political science to become more engaged with scholarly debate on language policy and linguistic diversity.

LIBERALISM, NATIONALISM, PLURALISM: POLITICAL REPRESENTATION AND NATION-BUILDING IN CANADA BEFORE AND AFTER THE QUEBEC REFERENDUM

LIBERALISM, NATIONALISM, PLURALISM: POLITICAL REPRESENTATION AND NATION-BUILDING IN CANADA BEFORE AND AFTER THE QUEBEC REFERENDUM

LA JUDICIARISATION DE LA POLITIQUE, LES DROITS DES MINORITES ET LE NATIONALISME CANADIEN*

Ce texte propose un commentaire sur les rapports entre le droit et la politique a partir de trois cas de figure : le phenomene de la judiciarisation de la politique, la question des droits des minorites linguistiques, et le nationalisme canadien. Trois themes qui meritent un developpement a part, mais qu’il faut aussi tenter d’analyser comme des elements d’un tout car ils sont lies, bien que de facon contradictoire. En effet, si la judiciarisation de la politique a favorise le developpement des droits linguistiques au Canada et la democratisation de la justice, elle a aussi coincide avec l’avenement d’un nationalisme des droits fonde exclusivement sur la reference a des droits individuels pancanadiens, une ideologie qui rend difficile l’accommodement entre les groupes. Dit autrement, nous avons ete temoin, au Canada, de l’avenement d’un populisme des droits qui, paradoxalement, a favorise le retrecissement de l’espace politique canadien au profit d’un mouvement de reconciliation de la nation avec elle-meme heurtant de front l’idee d’une ouverture a l’Autre qu’a rendu possible une certaine tradition canadienne fondee sur le binationalisme. Pour dire les choses encore plus brusquement, obsede par son unite, le Canada a cherche de plus en plus a fusionner avec lui-meme. Il a fonde son identite sur un nationalisme des droits, un nationalisme apparemment civique, sauf que celui-ci a, jusqu’a present, fait peu de place au debat democratique, notamment au debat sur les institutions politiques et a l’amenagement de rapports plus justes entre les groupes nationaux et ce, malgre une representation de soi fondee sur la diversite.