Mandatory Bilingualism
It isn't just the Province of Quebec that glorifies the ascendancy of the French language. Thanks to Canada's official bilingualism policy enshrined in law, French-language proficiency is considered a must elsewhere throughout the country as well. To the point of absolute absurdity.
Hard to believe in a majority-English-speaking world, where just about anywhere English speakers can be found and it is generally agreed that English has become the universal language of the Globe, that there are unilingual francophones needing to be served in their language in majority-English Canada.
Go anywhere in the Province of Quebec and even on public thoroughfares in a province that welcomes big-spending visitors from abroad, from the U.S. and elsewhere in Canada, there will be no signage translation for the edification of puzzled tourists. Only in Quebec is the polite and considerate acquiescence to demonstrating welcome ignored through signage meant to make people feel comfortable.
No concessions to the primacy of French.
And for Anglophones living in Quebec it's far more complex, since business and shop owners are not permitted by dint of the province's Draconian language laws to have English-only signs, much less signage where English appears larger than French. Quebec Anglos cannot be guaranteed to be serviced in the language of their choice in government offices, in hospitals, at the workplace.
French is the sole language of communication through idiotic lawful decree.
And now, the federal government's Official Languages Commissioner, Graham Fraser, has initiated a hunt for inadequate bilingualism offering in the National Capital. He plans to have specially hired "secret shoppers" launch out into the area as innocent unilingual tourists asking to be served in their mother tongue.
Public institutions will be visited repeatedly to ensure that there are no employees incapable of responding smoothly in French as required. Exemplifying the kinds of political and politically-correct pressures that ensure that English-speaking-only job applicants really need not apply anywhere in the National Capital Region.
And private businesses, particularly those located in what is considered to be prime tourist destinations will also be visited repeatedly by these undercover, covertly-operating 'secret shoppers' to determine whether bilingual services are available. Canada, on the face of it, being treated like a police state.
Stupid, unnecessary, embarrassing and socially immature.
Hard to believe in a majority-English-speaking world, where just about anywhere English speakers can be found and it is generally agreed that English has become the universal language of the Globe, that there are unilingual francophones needing to be served in their language in majority-English Canada.
Go anywhere in the Province of Quebec and even on public thoroughfares in a province that welcomes big-spending visitors from abroad, from the U.S. and elsewhere in Canada, there will be no signage translation for the edification of puzzled tourists. Only in Quebec is the polite and considerate acquiescence to demonstrating welcome ignored through signage meant to make people feel comfortable.
No concessions to the primacy of French.
And for Anglophones living in Quebec it's far more complex, since business and shop owners are not permitted by dint of the province's Draconian language laws to have English-only signs, much less signage where English appears larger than French. Quebec Anglos cannot be guaranteed to be serviced in the language of their choice in government offices, in hospitals, at the workplace.
French is the sole language of communication through idiotic lawful decree.
And now, the federal government's Official Languages Commissioner, Graham Fraser, has initiated a hunt for inadequate bilingualism offering in the National Capital. He plans to have specially hired "secret shoppers" launch out into the area as innocent unilingual tourists asking to be served in their mother tongue.
Public institutions will be visited repeatedly to ensure that there are no employees incapable of responding smoothly in French as required. Exemplifying the kinds of political and politically-correct pressures that ensure that English-speaking-only job applicants really need not apply anywhere in the National Capital Region.
And private businesses, particularly those located in what is considered to be prime tourist destinations will also be visited repeatedly by these undercover, covertly-operating 'secret shoppers' to determine whether bilingual services are available. Canada, on the face of it, being treated like a police state.
Stupid, unnecessary, embarrassing and socially immature.
Labels: Life's Like That, Ottawa, Politics of Convenience
posted by Pieface | 2:32 PM
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