Our article aims to specify the conditions necessary for language policies and legislation to have substantial effects on the linguistic vitality of minority groups. The article has three parts. First, we conclude that the Official Languages Act (OLA) had only minimal effects on the vitality of official language minorities. Secondly, we distinguish three essential actors that influence linguistic vitality: the community of intimacy, the group’s civil society and the State. We underline two sociolinguistic principles that language legislation and policies would need to apply if its goal is to enhance the vitality/revitalization of minority language groups. Finally, we focus on section VII of the OLA, which provides the best chances for establishing a global language management plan based on these principles in order to coordinate a synergy of actions by the three essential actors and to enhance the vitality of the two official minorities.