(NC)—On the 40th anniversary of the Official Languages Act, host Stuart McLean of CBC Radio's Vinyl Café decided to pay public tribute to the federal legislators of 40 years ago. Remembering the controversy surrounding the Act, and other equally contentious pieces of legislation such as the adoption of a new Canadian flag or the abolition of the death penalty, McLean told his audience: “It was the courage of those Parliaments and the politicians who were in the House at that time that gave me my great respect for the idea of public service and for those who put themselves forward for public service.”

(NC)—The Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages (OCOL) offers a variety of resources on its Web site. These resources could be useful for general interest or for teachers in subject areas such as English or French as a first or second language, social studies and history.

(NC)—Canadians can also take pride in knowing that other countries around the world have been inspired by this approach. For example, in the United States, the model is used to teach Spanish and French; in Estonia, Estonian is taught as a second language to Russian speakers; and in Germany, the model is used to teach English.

(NC)—Moving to a new country can be an expensive venture. Making large simultaneous investments towards a car, a house or your post-secondary education can be challenging. Yet, these items are often necessary.

(NC)—If you are thinking of starting a business in Canada, it pays to know what resources are available. There are several special programs and services offered by the government, and financial institutions to help newcomers become successful business owners in Canada.

(NC)—Newcomers typically have many questions and decisions to make when they arrive in Canada, especially when they're trying to get established financially. RBC visited China and India to speak with people before their move to hear about their questions and concerns first-hand.

(NC)—Getting settled and established financially are just a few of the priorities for newcomers to Canada. Camon Mak, head of multicultural markets for RBC offers four tips for making a successful transition: