Whenever I hear someone say that Canada is a bilingual French-English country, I always think of that Air Transat flight attendant who refused to speak to me in my language.
“You will know, sir, that Canada has two official languages,” I said, flushed with anger.
“But I’m bilingual,” the flight attendant replied brazenly in Don Cherry’s language. I speak English and Greek! “
A MYTH THAT LIES HARD
If there are people who still believe in Pierre Elliott Trudeau’s great dream of building a bilingual Canada “a mari usque ad mare”, the report that Jules Richer, from the Bureau of Investigation, wrote in our pages on Monday has, I hope, burst their balloon.
Because as the report shows in black and white, the facts are clear: bilingualism in the Canadian public service is not a reality.
It is a myth.
A legend that French-speaking federalists tell each other, in the evening, by the fireside, to comfort each other and keep their option alive.
Saying that Canada is bilingual is like saying that the infrastructure built for the Montreal Olympics was self-financing.
IT’S THE DEMOGRAPHY, STUPID!
And between you and me, why would Canada put French on the same footing as English in its institutions when the weight of Francophones in the country continues to melt like snow in the sun?
Why would we ask a federal office located in Dawson Creek, British Columbia, to apply the Official Languages Act to the letter if in this small office filled with plastic plants there are more officials who speak Mandarin and Hindi than French? ?
There are three things that matter in politics.
Demography, demography and demography.
At the time of Trudeau senior, we could perhaps dream of a great bilingual Canada, because the weight of Francophones in the country was still important.
But today ? With the zealous multiculturalism of Trudeau son and his famous idea of building the first postnational country in the world?
Forget that !
Asking Canada to remain bilingual is like forcing a 60-year-old man into the pants he wore when he got married 19 years ago.
Believe me, he may have all the goodwill in the world, but he will not be able to meet your challenge.
SPEAK TAGALOG
How many languages were enumerated as the language used at home in Canada during the 2011 census?
More than 200.
Almost 6.6 million people said they spoke a language other than French or English at home.
Which language experienced the greatest increase in Canada between 2006 and 2011?
Tagalog. A language spoken in the Philippines.
Seven other language groups also experienced an increase in their numbers of over 30%. These are those speaking Mandarin (+ 51%), Arabic (+ 47%), Hindi (+ 44%), Creole (+ 42%), Bengali (+ 40%), Persian (+33%) and Spanish (+ 32%).
And this movement will continue to grow.
It makes …
Canada bilingual French-English? Make me laugh!
Finally, my flight attendant was right …
