A review of Canada's policy for languages for special purposes looks at (1) federal language policy as reflected in the Official Languages Act and the watchdog office of the Commissioner of Official Languages; (2) the policies of the provinces of New Brunswick, Quebec, and Ontario; and (3) the impact of governmental policy, and presents three case studies of French language instruction for use in health services. Canadian government policies have influenced the scope of language teaching to adults, and program content and design have been influenced by language teaching trends. Provincial policies have had a varying impact on language teaching for special purposes. In New Brunswick, community need has been a primary force in the health department's progressive policy. Quebec has been propelled into language teaching for special purposes by the adoption of French as an official language. Ontario, which is not an officially bilingual province, has designed its programs to meet an identified need rather than conforming to law. These experiences suggest that provincial policies may exert a greater influence on languages for special purposes than does federal law. (MSE)