Presenting a detailed focus on the historical experiences of a wide variety of Canadian social movements, this in-depth collection describes the lessons to be learned from past grassroots efforts. Contributors from the fields of history, political science, education, sociology, and women's studies address important questions with a Canadian angle, such as "How effective are social movements as agents of change? How has globalization shaped the way that Canadian social movements operate?" and "Are the democratic values espoused by these groups exhibited in their own internal practices?" The varied perspectives offered cover 80 years of political activism in Canada.

Bilingualism has become a defining aspect of Canadian identity. But why don't more English Canadians actually speak French? So They Want Us to Learn French explores the various ways in which bilingualism was promoted to English-speaking Canadians from the 1960s to the late 1990s. It analyzes the strategies and tactics employed by organizations on both sides of the bilingualism debate. Attentive to the dramatic background of constitutional change, economic turmoil, demographic shifts, and Quebec separatism, Matthew Hayday's vivid account places the personal experience of Canadians faced with the issue and reality of Canadian bilingualism within a historical, political, and social context.