Does language identity (French vs. English) trump racial or other forms of identity in Canada, unlike the US? (office)

[markovian process]

Here is a quote from the Wikipedia article "Languages of Canada" (Languages of Canada - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

Many Canadians believe that the relationship between the English and French languages is the central or defining aspect of the Canadian experience. Canada's Official Languages Commissioner (the federal government official charged with monitoring the two languages) has stated, "In the same way that race is at the core of what it means to be American and at the core of an American experience and class is at the core of British experience, I think that language is at the core of Canadian experience.

I'm guessing this means that for Canadians, French vs. English speaking is the biggest divide historically whereas for Americans, blacks vs. whites was the biggest divide.

From your experience, is this true?

For Canadians, do you feel that whether a Canuck looks black, white, Asian etc. is seen as less important to their image and trumped by their identities as French-speaking or Anglophone people?

[netwit]

No, I don't. But my first language isn't French or English although I was born in Canada. I'm not sure that the French-English divide even applies west of Ontario in the sense that it has an impact in the east. The main way that language was important here was that those who came from non-Anglo backgrounds were looked down on and discriminated against by those who claimed their ancestry from the British Isles.

ETA: A number of Canadian writers have argued that Canadians are defined and shaped by the north. http://www.definingcanada.ca/2011/06...idea-of-north/

[BIMBAM]

Absolutely I agree with that, but I am a visible minority Anglophone from Quebec. Language was always at the heart of my identity, race and religion were nearly irrelevant in comparison. I think this statement is true historically of Canada and especially is true of the east. It is not so true of the dynamics in western Canada and it's less true of the experience in the most recent decades in the big cities of English Canada as massive immigration has occurred. It also doesn't capture the historic white/aboriginal dynamic where race mattered alto and language less. But on the whole I would say language is most important except for in areas that both have no francophones to speak of and that are somehow strongly affected locally by some other major division, like here in Vancouver where I'd say race and class both divide more then in Montreal, my hometown.

[Acajack]

I would say that nationally the language difference is the most important by far given the relative size of the two language groups, the status of the languages and of course the power struggle involved.

That said, there are also regional factors at play. In Quebec, eastern and northeastern Ontario, New Brunswick and to a lesser degree Nova Scotia it's still language that is the main issue. Even all across Ontario even though the francophone population is often small because of the proximity of Quebec (and even a sort of duality with that province) it's probably the dominant theme.

On the Prairies though it is really aboriginal vs. non-aboriginal.

In Newfoundland it can be religion: Catholic vs. Protestant. Also townies (St John's) vs. everyone else (baymen).

Nova Scotia has a bit of a town vs. country thing going on as well.

BC is mostly Asian immigrants (widely defined) vs. non-Asians. Although in some parts of the province it can be aboriginal vs. non-aboriginal like on the Prairies.