Editor:
Soon it is back to school and many students will hit the books to learn French, a language they never will fully comprehend enough to pass federal examination.
With that information, very few taxpayers look at the cost for Canada to be “so-called” bilingual – a bilingualism that favours all those who live or have a heritage French background, confirmed by the hiring in Ottawa for senior positions, largely handed to French-speaking people who learned English for economic advantage.
The first response will be “racist,” but step back, look at the numbers.
Since 1969, the federal government used $1.2 trillion to enforce French, directed through the Office of Official Languages, a bureaucracy of which three-quarters of the staff is French-speaking, being located in Gatineau, Que.
In the meantime, they are not providing the same services for those in need to learn English.
Recently, the commissioner of Official Languages announced that he will spend $90,000 to send spies to Canadian airports to hear if travellers are well-served in French – these are airports that are largely run by private enterprises.
Consider what money spent over some 42 years could have done for something like health care, available to all.
Suan H. Booiman, White Rock