Multilingualism in the Canadian Context

One of the most salient characteristics of the Canadian federation is its linguistic, cultural, and geographic diversity. The second largest country in the world, Canada's population of 24,343,180 (Statistics Canada 1981) is irregularly dispersed, with enclaves of high density in the industrial areas along the United States border and vast sparsely inhabited areas in the central prairies and northern regions. These geographic facts, coupled with a high level of cultural heterogeneity, are reflected in a tendency toward the decentralization of political powers and in regional distinctiveness and autonomy.