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Bill 101 Facts & Worksheets

Bill 101 is also known as the “Charter of the French Language.” It is a law in the province of Quebec that states that French is the official language of the province.

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Bill 101 is also known as the “Charter of the French Language.” It is a law in the province of Quebec that states that French is the official language of the province.

See the fact file below for more information on the Bill 101 or alternatively, you can download our 24-page Bill 101 worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

BILL 101 & THE CHARTER OF THE FRENCH LANGUAGE

  • Bill 101 is also known as the “Charter of the French Language.” It is a law in the province of Quebec that states that French is the official language of the province.
  • This charter mandates that all courts and government institutions be run using the French language.
  • The Charter of the French Language was created to help preserve and develop the French language and culture in Quebec.
  • The bill was originally proposed by Camille Laurin, a Minister of Cultural Development in the Parti Quebecois government.
  • Bill 101 was officially passed on August 26, 1977.
  • This law requires that commercial products, advertising, and signage must be in French.
  • Additionally Bill 101 works to preserve French as the primary language spoken in daily life, workplaces, and commerce.
  • The hope was that after passing Bill 101, more French speaking people would be able to assume positions of power in Quebec.
  • Bill 101 restructured the province of Quebec.

DID YOU KNOW?

  • The classic Canadian dish poutine comes from the province of Quebec.
  • The “Quebec Winter Carnival Festival” also known as “Carnaval” is the largest winter festival in the world!
  • Bonjour means hello in French.
  • Temperatures in Quebec can go down to -31.0°F / (-35°C).

THE CHILDREN OF BILL 101

  • The Children of Bill 101 is a name which was given to children whose parents moved to Quebec after the creation of Bill 101 in 1977.
  • Children of Bill 101 were required to attend school in French with the note of two exceptions.
  • The first exception that enabled a child to go to school in English was if one of the child’s parents had received their educational training in English.
  • The second exemption that enabled a child to go to school in English was if the child or their siblings has already received a large amount of their education in English.
  • Today there are an estimated 93,800-100,600 Children of Bill 101 living in Quebec.
  • Many of the Children of Bill 101 have embraced French as their primary language.
  • Those who adopted French as their primary language are known as Francophones.
  • Those who adopted English as their primary language are known as Anglophones. The word Anglo means English and the word phone means sound!
  • Today Bill 101 mandates that all immigrants who move to Quebec pursue their education in French.

CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE

  • Bill 101 has forever changed the way the French language and culture is perceived not only in the province of Quebec but in the entire country of Canada.
  • Quebec is the only province in Canada that lists its official language as French.
  • Many artists have created paintings, cartoons, and more types of art to help demonstrate the language conflict in the province of Quebec.

BILL 101 & QUEBEC NATIONALISM

  • One year prior to Bill 101 being created, Quebec formed their own political party called “Parti Quebecois” (1976).
  • Bill 101 was accepted by French Nationalists in Quebec but provoked outrage among Anglophones and some Francophones.
  • Many Quebec Nationalists felt that the French language and culture had suffered since Britain had conquered New France in 1760. After 200 years of being suppressed the French had a “Quiet Revolution” in the 1960’s which led to the later creation of Bill 101.
  • French Canadian Nationalists wish to live in a explicit cultural community, one that recognizes the importance and uniqueness of their French language and culture.
  • In 1980 there was the first “Quebec Referendum” where the province took a vote on whether or not they wanted to separate from the rest of Canada. Approximately 60% of Quebec residents voted “no” and did not want to separate from the rest of Canada.
  • Bill 101 stipulates that each citizen in Quebec has five different “Language Rights.”
  • Quebec also has a national political party called the “Bloc Quebecois.”

CHALLENGES OF BILL 101

  • Bill 101 has been changed six times since its original completion in 1977.
  • The “office quebecois de la langue francaise” is a commission responsible for enforcing Bill 101 in Quebec.
  • Bill 101 has been challenged in the Canadian courts for infringing on the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
  • This commission has unofficially been known as the “language police.”
  • Many businesses could not comply with the rules of Bill 101 and relocated from Quebec to other provinces.

Bill 101 Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle which includes everything you need to know about the Bill 101 across 24 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use Bill 101 worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about the Bill 101 which is also known as the “Charter of the French Language.” It is a law in the province of Quebec that states that French is the official language of the province.

Complete List Of Included Worksheets

  • Bill 101 Facts
  • Fact or Myth
  • Quebec Flag Design Challenge
  • French Acrostic
  • Quebecois Crossword
  • Le Word Scramble
  • Charter of Words Wordsearch
  • Bill 101 Quiz
  • Fill in the Blank
  • En Francais
  • See, Think, Wonder

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Link will appear as Bill 101 Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, January 2, 2021

Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

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