Disclaimer: This post is not an argument for nor against the separation of Quebec from Canada ^[1]^, nor the upholding of bilingualism in Canada ^[2]^.
For context, approximately 88% of French speaking Canadians are located in Quebec ^[3]^. Of the approximately 12% of French speaking Canadians who are not located in Quebec ^[6]^, 85% of them are bilingual ^[4.2]^. Approximately 1.8% of French speaking Canadians outside of Quebec don't also speak English ^[7]^.
References
- Type: Article. Title: "Learn about Quebec". Publisher: "Government of Canada". Published (Edited): 2025-02-06. Accessed: 2025-12-03T01:12Z. URI: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/settle-canada/provinces-territories/quebec.html.
- Type: Text. Location: ¶1.
Quebec is a French speaking province in north eastern Canada. It’s the largest of the 10 Canadian provinces. […]
- Type: Text. Location: ¶1.
- Type: Document. Title: "CONSTITUTION ACT, 1982". Publisher: "Government of Canada". Accessed: 202512030102Z. URI: https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/const/page-12.html.
- Type: Text. Location: §16>§1.
English and French are the official languages of Canada and have equality of status and equal rights and privileges as to their use in all institutions of the Parliament and government of Canada.
- Type: Text. Location: §16>§1.
- Type: Meta. Published 202512030119Z.
- There are 7 074 328 French speaking Canadians located in Quebec ^[4.1.1]^, and 8 066 633 French speaking Canadians in total ^[4.1.2]^. Therefore, the percentage of French speaking Canadians who are located in Quebec is
7074328/8066633*100%^[5]^, which is approximately 88%.
- There are 7 074 328 French speaking Canadians located in Quebec ^[4.1.1]^, and 8 066 633 French speaking Canadians in total ^[4.1.2]^. Therefore, the percentage of French speaking Canadians who are located in Quebec is
- Type: Website. Title: "Statistics on official languages in Canada". Publisher: "Government of Canada". Published (Edited): 20240814. Accessed: 202512030122Z. URI: https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/services/official-languages-bilingualism/publications/statistics.html.
- Type: Table. Location: Table 1.
- French-speaking population in Quebec: 7 074 328.
- Total French-speaking population: 8 066 633.
- Type: Table. Location: Table 5.
- In 2021, 85% of Canadians whose mother tongue was French were bilingual.
- Type: Table. Location: Table 1.
- Type: Article: Title: "Percentage". Publisher: "Wikipedia". Published (Edited): 2025-08-13T15:45Z. Accessed: 2025-12-03T01:30Z. URI: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Percentage.
- Type: Meta. Published: 2025-12-03T01:31Z.
- Approximately 88% of French-speaking Canadians are located in Quebec ^[3]^. Therefore, of the 100% of French speaking Canadians in total, there would approximately be 12% (ie
100% - 12%) Canadians outside of Quebec who speak French.
- Approximately 88% of French-speaking Canadians are located in Quebec ^[3]^. Therefore, of the 100% of French speaking Canadians in total, there would approximately be 12% (ie
- Type: Meta. Published: 2025-12-03T01:43Z.
- Approximately 12% of French-speaking Canadians are located outside of Quebec ^[6]^. 85% of them are bilingual ^[4.2]^, therefore 15% of them (
100%-85%=15%) are not bilingual. Therefore, 1.8% (12*15%=1.8%) of French-speaking Canadians don't also speak English.
- Approximately 12% of French-speaking Canadians are located outside of Quebec ^[6]^. 85% of them are bilingual ^[4.2]^, therefore 15% of them (
I'm a bilingual french-english Canadian, raised outside of Quebec. French is my first language. Having access to both languages in school, at home, and in professional settings has created in me and my bilingual peers a strong sense of identity, a strong sense of empathy toward those who don't speak English as their first language, and it has allowed me to impart a sense of culture to my kids without anchoring it in religion.
That said, I have been through the 1995 separation referendum. I've also been harassed and mocked for speaking French. There are those who don't care about rich cultural lives, and they have no shame in asking brazen questions like this. Given the framing and feigned innocence of your question, I think you are one of those.
What is your motivation to stir such a sensitive question among Canadians?