Research publications

In Canada, jurisdiction over language is shared between the various levels of government. The federal government has adopted a bilingual language regime in which the two official languages are English and French. Although it has established its own support measures, it relies on the provinces and territories to help ensure that the two official languages are recognized across the country. In addition, efforts are being made by the federal, provincial, territorial and Indigenous governments to support Indigenous languages, which are not recognized as official languages, except in the Northwest Territories and Nunavut. Each province and territory has its own language regime. This language regime is established through various official documents, including the Constitution, legislation, regulations, policies and strategic plans. It may apply to different areas, like the offer of government services, the adoption of legislation, justice, education and municipal services, to name a few. This HillStudy presents a non-exhaustive overview of the language regimes in place in the provinces and territories, and it briefly describes the main features of each one.

With the majority of grains produced in Western Canada intended for export, the grain trade relies on a complex supply chain in which rail transportation is the cornerstone. This document provides an overview of grain handling in Western Canada, its legislative framework, as well as emerging issues and challenges the grain transportation system faces.