Dear Mr. Bernard Lord...

The stats for the 2006 Census on Bilingualism are out today and Harper has conveniently flown into action. Former New Brunswick premier Bernard Lord has been appointed as Special Advisor to a committee for the Consultations on Linguistic Duality and Official Languages which will be meeting with English and French language minority groups across Canada on the state of bilingualism. In fact the meeting in Vancouver takes place today – BY INVITATION ONLY! as I have been just informed by the Heritage Ministry. So much for getting a chance to be heard. I’ll have to use the Uni.ca open mike instead:

The Census really says it all: the number of Canadians between the ages of 15 and 19 who are bilingual is down from 2001 figures. This is usually the age when Canadians in the ROC are most likely to be fluent in both French and English, given the French language programs in schools. So why are the numbers decreasing when there is a steady demand for French Immersion Programs and the new Intensive French Program are gaining popularity across the country? In fact, the lack of French language teachers is becoming critical because both anglophone and allophone parents are enrolling their children in French as a Second Language (FSL) programs. Speaking a second or even a third language is fast becoming a common occurrence in Canada and highly valued by Canadians.

The government, however, appears to be living on a different planet. A 2006 Research Report of FSL teaching in Canada cites a lack of francophone material resources and the diversity among the student populations as also major challenges for French language teachers. Graham Fraser, Canada’s Commissioner of Official Languages, has questioned why students no longer require a second language to study at a post-secondary institution in Canada. And what message does this send to the people of a country whose linguistic landscape not only includes two official languages but an ever growing multilingual reality? In Europe one cannot set foot in a university without proficiency in at least a second or a third language.

A great amount of research is being done in the academic arena on second language learning yet there is little interest and willingness on the part of both federal and provincial governments to support the work being done by researchers, teacher educators, and teachers.

Is there a hope that something will come of this latest consultative process or is it just another grab for votes on the part of Mr. Harper? It remains to be seen…

meike at uni.ca