Linguists to Canadian PM: Drop the British Spellings

Canada’s new prime minister is receiving guidance on spelling from the nation’s language experts. A group of editors and linguists has urged Prime Minister Mark Carney to abandon British spellings in official communications and return to standard Canadian English, which has traditionally been used in government materials, the BBC reports.

In an open letter dated Dec. 11, the group highlighted recent uses of “globalisation” instead of “globalization,” “utilisation” instead of “utilization,” and “catalyse” instead of “catalyze” in Carney’s office documents, including the November budget and an October news release following his visit to Washington, DC. The National Post had previously noted other Britishisms, such as “organise,” “harmonise,” “specialise,” and “recognise,” suggesting the prime minister may be attempting to “Europeanize” Canada.

The signatories—including Editors Canada, four linguistics professors, and the editor-in-chief of the Canadian English Dictionary—emphasize that using Canadian spelling is more than a matter of editorial style. It reflects “national history, identity, and pride,” and incorporates “global influences and cultures from around the world represented in our population, as well as words and phrases from Indigenous languages.” Canadian English blends British and American influences—favoring “colour” over “color” but “tire” instead of “tyre”—and includes uniquely Canadian terms like “toque” (a winter hat) and “washroom” instead of bathroom or loo. They warn that shifting official documents toward British standards could confuse readers and dilute this linguistic compromise, the CBC reports.

University of British Columbia professor Stefan Dollinger told the BBC that the change feels like “walk[ing] the clock back by half-a-century or more,” reflecting Canada’s historical move away from its colonial past. Editors Canada president Kaitlin Littlechild said it remains unclear whether the British spellings are due to confusion or a deliberate policy. University of Toronto professor JK Chambers suggested Carney’s time in Britain—where he served as governor of the Bank of England—may have influenced his spelling choices, joking that the prime minister has “picked up some pretensions” but at least hasn’t started writing “gaol” for “jail.” Carney’s office has not yet commented.

Meanwhile, President Trump’s recent comments on North American trade relations were cited in Carney’s Washington visit materials, though the language experts did not address American spellings in this context.

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