* Mother Tongue vs. Language Spoken at Home: The 2021 Canadian Census counted 7,818,395 people who reported French as their mother tongue. However, a higher number of people may speak French at home or on a regular basis, even if it's not their native language.
* Fluency Level: Some people might understand or read French but not be fluent speakers. The Census doesn't capture this nuance.
* Immigration and Language Shifts: Over time, the number of people who speak French as their mother tongue might decrease, while the number of people who speak French as a second language increases.
Therefore, instead of providing a specific number, it's more accurate to say that a significant portion of the Canadian population speaks French. This includes:
* The majority of people in Quebec: Quebec is a predominantly French-speaking province, with French being the official language.
* Significant Francophone communities in other provinces: New Brunswick is officially bilingual (French and English), and there are significant Francophone populations in Ontario, Manitoba, and other provinces.
To get a more precise idea, you could consult data from the Canadian Census or other reputable sources that track language use.