Overcoming Linguist Duality in Canada: The Role of Education in Fostering Linguistic and Cultural Diversity

Canada’s multicultural and multilingual background, enriched by immigration and digital connectivity, has created a unique sociolinguistic landscape where indigenous languages, English, French, and immigrant languages coexist. The digital revolution, through social media and communication platforms, has facilitated interactions across linguistic barriers, promoting cultural understanding. Nonetheless, one cannot deny that such increasing linguistic diversity also presents significant challen‑ ges in terms of social cohesion. Drawing on the most relevant aca‑ demic literature, the paper explores these complex dynamics, ad‑ dressing the tensions characterising an officially bilingual coun‑ try with a de facto multilingual and multicultural society. In par‑ ticular, the work analyses the vital role of culturally and linguis‑ tically inclusive educational practices in promoting intercultural learning and harmony within the diverse Canadian society. By addressing the complexities of Canada’s linguistic dualism and proposing practical tools for multilingual classrooms, the study underscores the importance of safeguarding minority languages as fundamental markers of identity and cultural belonging and as part of the intangible cultural heritage of the country.