Investing in bilingualism makes for a better Canada
Iwas 10 years old when my family immigrated to Canada from Punjab, India. I was terrified about having to learn both of the official languages of my new country. Lucky for me, it turned out that in my new city of Port Alberni, French was not actually required or necessary. Although I had to take French at school, I never needed it in my day- to- day life. But was that lucky for me? Now, as I look back over my life as a Canadian, I regret not being fluent in French. I regret it for myself, personally wishing for the opportunities multilingualism might have provided, and I regret it for our country. True bilingualism across all of the provinces and territories would not only place Canadians in a more competitive position in the global economy, but it would also contribute to better cultural understandings among our citizens while strengthening national unity.
Canada has been officially English/ French bilingual since the passage of the 1969 Official Languages Act, yet today less than 20 per cent of Canadians can speak both languages. The numbers are varied across the provinces. In British Columbia, French is not even required in schools. All schools are required to teach a second language from Grades 5 to 11 but students have options, particularly from Grades 9 and up. Although French Immersion programs are also available, they are not the norm. It is no surprise then that here only seven per cent of people are English/ French bilingual.
Should it matter? Some may argue that official bilingualism is a thing of the past. I argue otherwise, that instead it should be one of our main goals for the future.
In this globalized world, speaking multiple languages is a huge asset both on an individual and ( inter) national level. The Canadian Council on Learning has outlined several advantages of bilingualism. There are cognitive benefits: bilingual children often exceed their peers in a variety of areas, knowledge of a second language facilitates learning additional languages, and bilingualism has shown to delay the onset of dementia in old age. There are also economic benefits: the 2006 census shows higher employment rates and income levels for bilinguals than for monolinguals and there are Canadian industries that prefer bilingualism such as administration, tourism, sales, and services. Furthermore, many international companies, particularly in countries where French is an official language ( 29 countries), prefer partnerships with bilingual Canadians.
Today, global trade relationships are shifting and Canada would do well to ensure partnerships with Frenchspeaking countries, most of them in resource- rich Africa and with growing populations.
In addition to all of the above benefits, speaking multiple languages allows for greater intercultural understanding. By recognizing that there is more than one grammar, more than one way of getting ideas across, or more than one way to understand people and the world, it is natural for one to show greater empathy for those who do not share their same cultural background.
Many Canadians outside of Quebec do not have a deep understanding of the role of French culture in our history or in modern Canadian society. Claiming that our country is officially bilingual, but not actually ensuring that this is so only makes a mockery of our history. It also ensures a continued lack of understanding.
We need to look at innovative ways to highlight the importance of French in provinces outside of Quebec that go beyond bilingual signage and labelling. We must have adequate funding for French education, teacher resources, and cultural programs. We must also ensure that there are postsecondary education and employment opportunities in French outside of the eastern provinces. If we do not invest in Canadian bilingualism, we run the risk of falling behind culturally and economically both nationally and globally. We also risk increased ghettoization by linguistic groups, as is already happening in Vancouver, Richmond, Surrey and other major Canadian urban centres.
Ensuring linguistic cohesion across the country can lead to a greater sense of national unity – one that I feel has been deteriorating over the last decades. In a world where most things that we want are only a mouse- click away, what unites us with our fellow human beings is shared experience, and language is the key to expressing our shared experience. By promoting official bilingualism while incorporating the growing cultural and linguistic diversity in our country, we are showing a dedication to intercultural understanding, greater collaboration, and a world of opportunity for our citizens. Some people also say when you learn another language, you get another soul!