From Stadacona to the REM · Drawing 30 of 36
French in everyday life
1977
In 1977, Québec adopts the Charter of the French Language. This law strengthens the place of French in schools, workplaces and businesses. In the bookshop, people discover words and stories.
Look together
Where do you hear French during your day?
An idea to try
Choose a French word in a book at home. Your child draws or acts it out. If your family knows the word in another language, share that too.
For the adult reading along
A little more to discover
On August 26, 1977, the National Assembly adopted the Charter of the French Language, Bill 101, introduced by minister Camille Laurin in René Lévesque’s government. It affirmed French’s official status and strengthened its use in laws, work, business, signs and education, while providing exceptions, including for access to English-language schools. French had already been declared the official language in 1974 by the Official Language Act; the Charter went further and organized public life in French. Its rules have been amended several times since; this page evokes the 1977 milestone, not today’s rules.
For young children, the bookshop connects with the words we read, hear and share. Name the languages known in the family without setting them against each other. The books drawn stay blank to welcome imagination and colouring.
Sources and context (3)
These links lead to other websites. Explore them with an adult. Source titles appear in their original language; some linked pages are in French.
- Gouvernement du Québec - À propos de la Charte de la langue française
- Office québécois de la langue française - Repères historiques
- Bibliothèque de l’Assemblée nationale — 1977, projets de loi 1 et 101
Source review: 2026-09-15. Illustrations simplify places and scenes; they are not historical documents.