A bilingualism project for our bicentennial

Let’s persuade the rest of Canada to improve the teaching of French, Robert Fattal says.

Canada’s 150th birthday year is almost over, and it’s been a real letdown. This important milestone fizzled. There was hardly anything tangible worth recalling. Shouldn’t we at least have had a national discussion on what we want a future Canada to look like, say, for our bicentennial 50 years from now?

And after all this time, we still haven’t settled issues regarding our dual identity. Canada needs to offer its French culture a true home to flourish outside Quebec. It is true that Canada is a multicultural country, but multiculturalism doesn’t define this country. As much as it makes us feel good (correctly so), to embrace many cultures, it is hardly a unique attribute. The marriage of French and English histories created and built this country, it’s still a defining character that sets us apart. Shouldn’t we embrace this distinction and build on it? Isn’t it time for Canadians themselves, and not just Canada’s institutional infrastructure, to become bilingual?

Canada will always be tied to its French and English roots. Canadian prime ministerial hopefuls will have to speak both languages to be taken seriously. Officially, Canada will remain a bilingual country. Yet less than 10 per cent of Canadians outside Quebec are bilingual. Given that the French-English debate has been a part of the national discussion for so long, that’s a paltry rate.

The federal government has done what it can. But it’s the provinces that control the education system. If they simply commit to turning out functionally bilingual students, they can help unify and renew this country. For Canadians who remain unilingual, Quebec may as well be a separate country. That is the lingering tragedy of Canada: we say we are

That is the lingering tragedy of Canada: we say we are united, but the day-to-day reality is that we are a divided people.

united, but the day-to-day reality is that we are a divided people. Had the provinces committed themselves decades ago to educating their youth in both official languages, we wouldn’t have the spectacle of otherwise capable political candidates unable to run for, or dropping out of, races to lead this country because they can’t speak French.

In 2016, 18 per cent of Canadians had the ability to converse in both official languages. Take out Quebec’s bilingual population (45 per cent), and the Canadian average falls to just under 10 per cent. Rates of bilingualism among younger people outside Quebec are higher than the average, apparently reflecting the impact of French-immersion programs. For the 10-14 age group, the bilingualism rate was about 15 per cent. Still, this is disappointingly low.

For Canadians to be truly bilingual, the cooperation of the provinces is required. Provinces need not translate their laws nor require civil servants speak French. All they need to do is concentrate on their youth and create a curriculum that graduates bilingual students.

In a 2006 Decima poll, 65 per cent of anglophone Canadians were in favour of bilingualism. Of those between the ages of 18-34, 80 per cent were in favour. So the momentum is there for political leaders to do what is right.

This being the 150th year of Canada, it would be fitting for the federal government to outline a vision for Canada’s bicentennial in 2067, and use its standing without spending a penny to cajole provinces to promote bilingual education. This would be an exercise in moral suasion. We have a prime minister who inspires Canadians to feel good about themselves, so let’s take advantage of it and bestow future generations a legacy that most Canadians would give thanks for.

Let us aim for a Canadian holy grail. Imagine in 2067, Canada’s bicentennial, that 67 per cent of Canadians born this year forward will be able to converse in both official languages. It is a goal we might not reach but if achieved, we can be proud. It’s not too late for Canada 2017 to send a precious gift that Canada 2067 would most certainly appreciate and celebrate.