CFN – Members and supporters of the local newly re-branded Language Fairness for All – LFA group were joined by members of the Ottawa based umbrella group Canadians for Language Fairness outside of the Chesterville Legion this Wednesday evening. . The delegation was there in anticipation of an opportunity to bring their cause before James Moore, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages, who would deliver the keynote address to Conservative supporters at the $50 per plate fundraiser dinner about to take place inside and hosted by Stormont, Dundas and South Glengarry Member of Parliament Guy Lauzon. Upon his arrival, North Dundas Mayor, Eric Duncan, was approached by CLF president Chris Cameron and continued to be engaged 
while our camera was rolling. He told Cameron that: “it’s a free country and you have every right to be here.” When asked by Cameron if he feels that the percentage of bilingual service should be in accord with language demographics, Duncan agreed that is the democratic way. In spite of Cameron’s assertion that 80% of the population is being discriminated against, Duncan was adamant that he saw no issue with Cornwall Community Hospital’s interpretation and application of the provincial French Language Services Act, saying: “I’m satisfied with what we have now and how it works out.” Cameron inquired if Duncan is comfortable with the Health Unit being 100% bilingual, to which Duncan responded: “I don’t know about the Health Unit in that regard.” Some members of the local Richelieu Club arrived for the official function in order to hear the minister speak. On the way in, Jean Lecompte, president of the La Société pour la Promotion du Bilinguisme (Society for the Promotion of Bilingualism), sporting his signature bilingualism pin, asked if he could join the LFA/CLF delegation and was greeted warmly. He then attempted to turn the event into his own personal press conference and opportunity to enlighten the group, until eventually bidded “Au revoir.” 
Lecompte’s rhetoric included asking the group if they’d taken any (mandatory or otherwise) French classes in grade school and insisted that this makes them and all Ontarians officially bilingual (whether or not they can communicate effectively in French). The group wasn’t buying it and pointed out that bilingualism has one meaning when funding is being sought by special interest groups and another meaning when people are being blocked from jobs for which they are otherwise well-qualified. At various times during the interaction, Lecompte said that he agreed with the protesters that the situation is not right and not fair, yet he continues to advocate for bilingualism. CCH nurse Darlene Walsh, who’s been passed over for promotions for not being sufficiently bilingual demanded of Lecompte:
“Tell me, sir, if you fall down right now with a heart attack, do I have to speak French to save your life?” His response: “you do.”
M.P. Guy Lauzon initially circumvented the delegation by slipping in a side door just ahead of Chris Cameron, declining to respond to Cameron’s request to talk. Just prior to the minister’s arrival, members of the delegation were given access to the building to use the Legion washrooms. On the way back to the parking lot, Cameron and CFN’s Don Smith crossed paths with Lauzon just inside the building. With the camera rolling Lauzon was very hospitable, greeting both men with a smile and handshake and agreeing to speak briefly on camera. The conversation was cut short with the announcement that Minister Moore had arrived and was in the parking lot. According to reports from those in attendance and consistent with a demonstration which began earlier, when Minister Moore arrived, he was greeted by protesters dressed in black, carrying a makeshift coffin declaring the death of democracy and some two dozen protesters carrying signs declaring that forced bilingualism is divisive, discriminatory, and demanding that hiring policies should be based on merit, not on language. . One of the protesters cried out: “Canada is in distress” while carrying an upside down Canada flag as a statement of how inverted language policy has become in this nation. Reportedly as Moore exited his car, he was confronted with a demand to know why he and the Commissioner of Official Languages, Graham Fraser, had not accepted requests to meet with CLF previously. No explanation was offered.
As we returned to the protest outside, Moore was already in dialogue with members of the delegation. Moore told the assembly that:
“Everybody should have the same rights and opportunities across the board.” He went on to add that: “The issue of language policy is not meant to be a barrier to the citizens themselves.” The crowd quickly enlightened him that it is indeed a huge barrier, citing numerous examples. Later the minister acknowledged: “I understand how divisive language policy is and how frustrating it can be on all sides and in all parts of the country and that’s not what language policy should be about.”
Some members of the group called for a Canada-wide referendum on language policy. Although not at all outwardly hostile towards the crowd, it was clear that the minister was unprepared to address a delegation. In the midst of heated dialogue, Lauzon calmly advised the crowd that moments earlier he’d suggested that he and Cameron meet privately at another time to address and resolve concerns. Lauzon extended the offer to Minister Moore, who agreed to meet with representatives of both the CLF and the local LFA group in Ottawa. Business cards were exchanged with a promise to meet in the coming weeks while the House is still sitting.
Richard Tremblay, are you comparing Francophones to the physically handicapped? Mélanie b, are you saying that in order for Francophones to die with dignity all medical staff needs to be bilingual? Kaede, your response to language equality is to attack posters grammar?
I guess if you can’t argue the topic reasonably then you use diversion.
“Oh look, there goes of pink Kangaroo!”
REG….please…. I guess with you logic is out the window. I would encourage you to re read the Mélanie B and Kaede s comments… you obviously missed their point. Id write it in french but you probably wouldnt understand it either..then again maybe I should type slower… Y..O…U ….I give up, you have no logic. PERIOD.
Kaede, (Maple) I learned to deal with bullies in grade school, and elitists in high school but these comments of yours are beneath all of us and certainly an important topic.
I challenge you to try and change opinions and offer sound logic. Who knows, maybe some will buy it and start flying the Franco – Ontario green and white. You know the flag, all taxpayers in Ontario chipped in for it.
Richard Tremblay, once again refusing to reasonably discuss the subject at hand you resort to insults. Sorry, but I won’t be diverted by your negative comments.
How can language fairness involve destroying linguistic minority rights? And getting rid of official bilingualism? You are not demanding language fairness, you are taking it away. you want English domination. You want the majority to DOMINATE the minority.
If Stephen Harper was able to learn French, so can you!
Even the Queen of England is bilingual! God Save the Queen who can speak to her subjects in French.
Oh, and sorry about the green and white flag costing tax payers money. But when tax dollars financed Prince William and Kate’s trip here, he addressed his future Canadian subjects in English and French. How diplomatic.
Repeal Ontario FLSA and federal OLA. “The issue of language policy is not meant to be a barrier to the citizens themselves”, but it is, Mr. Moore. Official bilingualism works AGAINST Anglos in English Canada. It deprives them of meaningful jobs, stunts their careers, and it exclude them from working from their own governments. That’s how ABSURD this policy has become!
Oh but your not deprived. I have a quick solution for you to get those meaningful jobs your little heart desires. LEARN FRENCH. If its one of the requirements for the job, fulfill the requirements, thats it!
I was looking at job postings in Nunavut, but knowledge of Inuktitut is required… so I cannot apply. Sucks.
@patrick
Inuktitut in Nunavut… sounds logical. French in French Canada (Quebec) is logical too. French in English Canada…ABSURD!
Patrick as someone that worked in Iqaluit I can assure you that your analogy is only half there. If you go to school in Nunavut you graduate with a standard of Inuktitut that qualifies you for a government position.
Here in Ontario we need to decide that if we’re going to require people to speak French at a certain level that they graduate with those skills.
The status quo is utterly unproductive and damaging to our society and divisive. I don’t think anyone suggests that those that wish to be served in French in the hospital or government agency should not be. I think that’s a caustic attack. The question is where do you draw the line and determine staffing questions.
Are you personally suggesting that 100% of staff be fully functionally bilingual?
If you deal with the public, you have to be fully bilingual. Thats where i would draw the line.
Not 100% of jobs in Ontario require bilingualism. Only certain positions in designated areas require bilingualism, and this is a designated area. Very FEW jobs in Ontario require bilingualism.
I agree that unilingual nurses might be discriminated against if they never received adequate French classes in public school. In that case, I decry Ontario education. In the past, it failed and discriminated against Francophones and Aboriginals, and now, it doesn’t prepare Anglophones well enough for jobs in this region (although you did have the option to take French up until grade 12 and certainly at the college there were French courses…). But not providing French health care is discriminatory too and more Franco-Ontarian residents will be affected than nurses. And the customer is always right.
I recognise that it is not fair if Anglophones don’t receive adequate second language training today at school. On this, we agree, and we can build something, and co-create a more peaceful community. Now let’s transform this into something constructive: How can we support unilingual nurses in their professional development AND ensure that Francophoes receive French health care?
Well Patrick. Congrats on admitting some certain truths. But personally; until the Province of Ontario can ensure that we require that level of bilingualism and the cost that it bores then we simply cannot force 100% of front line staff to have to be fully bilingual. There’s a line of what’s required and we as taxpayers should not have to pay more than that. Provide services as necessary; maybe even a little bit more; but we should not be punishing or social engineering in the shadows.
That’s a joke. That’s not a position. And if it’s yours my friend you perhaps should rethink it?
I am not saying that in London Ontario 100 % of the front line services have to be fully bilingual.. just in certain designated areas. And like I said, Cornwall is a designated area.
Eastern Ontario and Cornwall are not 98% anglophone. London, Ontario might be, but not Eastern Ontario. One hundred years ago, the majority population of Cornwall was French, and before that it was English, and before that it was 100% Mohawk and Native. There have been fluctuations in the demographics. And also domination by the British colonial, Canadian, and Ontario governments to dilute the non-British population. Francophones have been in Ontario for 400 years. Francophones are bilingual because of colonial assimilation policies which BANNED French education which made an entire generation illiterate. So Franco-Ontarians are not elite. They have traditionally been poor and working class. Their literacy rates are 10% lower than Anglophones (EQAO, Stats Can). And Mohawks are bilingual, or tragically don’t speak Mohawk, because of residential schools. So bilingualism WAS shoved down the throats of Francophones and Mohawks for centuries. That’s not fair either. And now many are unilingual Anglophones (some of which are joining your cause, i.e. Louise Dubois, Beth Trudeau, and other self-loathings people with French names.
As I have said before Statistic Canada has determined that in the SD&G area 40% of self declared Francophone population are not bilingual. If they have lived in Ontario all their lives and still have not learned English then how can you expect Anglophones to simply “LEARN FRENCH” as Mr. Boucher puts it.
Are Anglophones that much smarter than Francophones?
Patrick a post ago you said 100% of Frontline staff should be fully bilingual – why? That makes no sense – someone walks in and needs service in French why on earth does every single front line person need to speak French in Ontario?
If you’re personal dream in Ontario is for the Province to be fully bilingual that’s great. It’s noble. State it and then make sure provisions are made for not only our current students, but adults to have access to proper language training with the cost that comes with it.
If not then it comes down to what % of Front Line staff need to be bilingual.
Patrick, francophones have ALWAYS received health care in French. Although francophone population in Cornwall is 24%, demand for French at CCH is below 10%. Officially, CCH is 35% bilingual. In practice, half of CCH personnel is bilingual. Pushing for total bilingualism defies rhyme and reason. No wonder anglos are up in arms.
So true, Reg. If so many francophones in SD&G did not bother to learn English while living all their lives in Ontario, it only confirms that they have always received services in French. I hope next Ontario government (after we boot McLiar out) repeal FLSA. The way it was brought in was so dishonest, it is immoral to implement it. People of Ontario were so adamantly against bilingualism then and they are still adamantly against it today.
Ontarian until either other party states that they’d do that they are no different than the current regime.
Hudak is mudak, wet noodle. He did not even have balls to kill Green Energy Act.
Yes, some of you are name calling. Kenneth said it was a race thing. He said French Canadian Métis needed psychiatric help and have an inbredinferioritycomlex (sic).
My group? I am not part of any group. I have been living on the West Coast of Canada teaching French to Anglophones who want to learn French for their jobs.
And Kaede WAS an English teacher. Grade 12 pre-university English, for example. And for the government too. And for a foreign government abroad. I teach and publish in both official languages. And I read a lot of literature which is why I can write long sentences which are grammatically correct. It is the art of syntax.
Form adds credibility to content and a language rights’ group’s use of the language being defended should be impeccable: “As fro Kaede’s” = FOR; “senetence” = SENTENCE; “We are not name calling, hating are trying to get rid of anyone” = OR not ARE.
This endless language fight has pretty much dominated this site since Tammy Hart kicked it off last summer squawking about French appearing on the Long Sault Parkway signs. There’s some serious negativity going on here and it seems to have a firm grip on the community, or at least the people posting here.
Summer is here. I’m gonna ride my motorbike and enjoy the paradise where we live. The never ending language battle should be outlawed during the summer months. We should maybe agree to only fight and hate each other in the winter months when we are all miserable anyway.
To me what makes no sense is from grade 1 to grade 12…you could have taken french or english in school. IF you can’t be bilingual after that..then you have no one to blame but yourself.
I called Bell Canada because of a little problem I had with my billing, asked for a french speaking operator…waited an extra 10 minutes..couldnt find one. After 4pm, the billing department where they do cancellations had no french speaking operators…SHAME!. Now according to some, I can use the hospital and wait till they find a french speaking person to help me….if i have chest pains or i’m bleeding…first response will be …I”m sorry sir, I don’t speak french. thats a shame.
Now i’m waiting… waiting for a response to just a little part of my comment. Please mr Admin, next time, read my whole comment instead of picking and choosing parts of it to suit your purpose.
100% in designated areas yes.. 100% in London Ontario not necessary.
So Patrick, what would you do if there was a Democratic Plebiscite and it was decided in Ontario that the legal language would only be English and French services abolished due to high taxes or the direction that Quebec’s gone? (I’m not supporting that question; it’s purely an exercise)
Would you move to a French locale? Would you speak English and stay?
Your position of demanding 100% Frontline Bilingual staff just doesn’t dance. One, they can’t fill those positions today not most likely in the short future, and two, our schools are not turning out fully bilingual students.
So are you going to import people from outside Ontario while Unilingual talent move to Alberta and the West? Does that make any sense? Nope.
Ed, T. Hart’s issue, and it should bother more people, is the placement of the English St. Lawrence Parks wording in the upper right corner and it should be upper left. The federal government offers rules for this sort of thing.
Ask People in Dieppe NB or Quebec City if it matters that French is top or bottom right or left. Ontario is majority English (so is NB by the way).
I for one have no hate against Francophones, most of us have grown up with, dated or are friends of people of several languages. There are a few people forcing French where there is no need and the Liberals and NDP (Conservatives are also allowing) are using government bills (check the Senate & House now) to force more jobs be bilingual even where numbers do not warrant. It would be cheaper and more effective to teach the few French only speakers English. Unless of course there are people who can not as easily learn another language…..
Pavel, how can Hudak the opposition leader kill a bill? He spoke out against the cost and need, but McGuinty rammed that down our throats removing the rights of municipalities to stop a project.
Well as far as I know, a Plebiscite is just a question and a governement is not bound by its result… Now I see your true colors Mister Admin…. speak english or get out…WHat does Québec have to do with french services in Cornwall. Québec offers alot more to its minorities then Ontario does… Anglo Colleges, Anglo universities.. Over here we have La Cité collégiale..of which mike harris wanted to close…we had to fight to keep montfort. University of Ottawa is bilingual. But no french University… THank god anglos in QUébec have Mcgill…over here..nadda
If the Ontario French Languages Services Act and Official Languages Acts are going to survive, a reasonable expectation should be investigated. A issue of course is how once an Act is put into place entire departments spring up to support and expand it, for the most part, unreasonably and expensivily. The idea of letting government employees work & be managed in the language of their choice is not taking into consideration that their job is to help the taxpayer. Access in a reasonable time frame to various language needs should be expected and will allow better opportunity for merit over language.
A very few people need advanced French to perform a few jobs, and a few more would need enough to give directions or order food.
Patrick my “true colours” are very clear. I support patients at CCH being served in the language that they require. I don’t think you need 100% full bilingual staff to do that. I even support people in Ontario being served in French at a governmental level. Again, I don’t agree that all staff have to be bilingual to accomplish that.
There’s a number, a percentile number that should be created to accommodate demand for service. It’s about being practical. If you have some other political agenda that’s your issue my friend.
rtant je pense:
Dear Administrator:
I am dissatisfied with your response to Patrick. You accuse Patrick of a “caustic attack” when you should be moderating Kenneth T. Trellis’ blatant racism, other ethnic insults, and the various calls for the elimination of the constitutional protection of linguistic minorities, the Official Languages Act (OLA), and the French Language Services Act (FLSA). In addition, you have denied that anyone is suggesting that Francophones not be served in French. In this thread, there are calls to eliminate legislation and constitutional rights would disable the right for Francophones to be served in French. This is threatening to the minority. A call for reviewing hiring policies and more adequate education and training for residents and workers in Ontario are fair but this coverage and thread has a different tone, which is threatening. Jaqueline Milner who, in this thread, calls for inclusiveness of Francophone and other minorities protected by the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, received several thumbs down. Your duty as a responsible administrator in moderating an online newspaper is to ensure a safe dialogue in which freedom of speech is safeguarded while hate speech is avoided and moderated.
Your news coverage is biased if you do not decry the racism against Aboriginals and Francophones in this thread. Your response is not neutral. You also are admitting to being a part of this campaign.
If you are the administration and you represent and moderate for Cornwall Free News, and you are a part of this campaign, Cornwall Free News is not neutral, and neither are you. Of course, journalism never has been neutral, but it remains that as moderator you have a responsibility to limit hate speech in the least, which Kenneth has demonstrated so openly.
You wrote:
“I don’t think anyone suggests that those that wish to be served in French in the hospital or government agency should not be. I think that’s a caustic attack.”
Several people in this thread have called for the elimination of the OLA and the FLSA. Here they are:
“Repeal Ontario FLSA and federal OLA.”
“Petition to :Stop the Official Languages policy in Canada”
“…if those people who are pushing this stupid idea of enforcing bilingualism…”
“Wouldn’t a referendum in Ontario be lovely! For now, there is a petition…please klick on Robert’s link above and sign up for fairness!!!!!!!”
Patrick’s statement was a repetition of written statements calling for limiting French services. It was not an attack. But this thread DOES contain attacks and you have not addressed them:
This is an attack on Francophone accents:
“There is something wrong when Francophones get jobs that are bilingual but can hardly speak English yet Anglophones have to know an pass a superoir French exam, basic French is not good enough,So when you call any government agency or custom most of the time you will get someone who can barely speak English”
These are attacks on Québécois or Francophones’ freedom of movement within Canada (similar to the language used against immigrants):
“I have notice an increase in the french language being utilized because of people moving here.”
“Those same quebecois who are invading Ontario….”
This is an attack on those seeking to ensure that the law is respected:
“pushy French groups”
These are negative characterisations of Francophones:
“fear of retribution from their French bosses”
“…was absolute proof of how arrogant the quebecois elites are.”
This is violent:
“LOVE LOVE LOVE seeing anglophones start to fight back!!”
This is an attack on race:
Kenneth T. Tellis June 2, 2012 at 5:08 pm
“Yo get to the nitty gritty of the language issue, one must first understand that this really is NOT a language issue at all, but one based soleely on race, which has been going secretly by the Canadien Roman Catholic Church for close to 250-years since the su…rrender of New France on September 8, 1760 to Britain.
But all this comes mainly from the inbredinferiority comlex that is carried in the blood lines of the Canadien/Kebecois, and one that cannot be treated, except by a psychiatrist. So, they are attempting to drag down the people of other communities to their level of ignorance and odiocy, and get very angry when they cannot achieve this goal, by bad mouthing them at every turn and twist.
But what they first must be made to understand is that they are NOT French, but a Metis people abandoned here by FRANCE. Once they understand that, they will no longer have reason to cling to the past, but head into the futire like those that crossed the border into the U.S. and became part of the American NATION.”
This statement suggests that letting a Francophone DIE without intervening is funny:
“At least now we know we do not have the right to “save them” if they should need help. Puts my mind at ease as it has been a quandry in my mind for a long, long, time. Felt I had to step up and help in an emergency but didn’t really want to. NOW I KNOW IT IS LEGAL TO AVOID THE GOOD SAMARITAN SCENARIO!!!! Hahaha!!!”
You have not moderated these statements.
melanie b nobody in the world is truly neutral.
There is an English minority in Québec which is constitutionally guaranteed linguistic rights, and there are Francophone communities in each province who are also guaranteed linguistic rights. The Francophone communities in each province date back to early settlements sometimes prior to or at the simultaneous to the English settlements. In this sense, there is no “invasion.” The invasion took place centuries ago when Europeans subjugated the Aboriginal populations.
You cannot ghettoise Canada into regions according to ethnic or linguistic groups like the colonisers did with First Peoples, or more recently, the way South Africa, the former Yugoslavia, and Nazi Germany limited the movement and freedoms of their minorities.
Canada guarantees freedom of movement and linguistic minority rights.
Admin, I want you to stop melanieb circling her race/hate card wagon. It’s your obligation to stop boring your readers to death by incoherent ramblings of patrick/melanie.
FLSA and OLA must be repealed, if that would help get rid of pushy French groups and its arrogant membership. Give them an inch and they will grab a foot.
THIS IS TO ALL THE KENNETHS, BETHS, THE TOO SHY TO WRITE YOUR OWN NAME PLANES OR ABRAHAM…
“You don’t have to disrespect and insult others simply to hold your own ground. If you do, that shows how shaky your own position is.”
― Red Haircrow
liking what I read in latest opinions…. good to hear “a truth” about language rights in Canada.. thanks melanie , keade and richard t. and anyone else who this debates intelligently . it isn`t as cut and dried as lfa thinks.. it is perceived by them to be a flaw in personal rights and freedoms ,while at the same time they champion the flawed belief that only english language should be the acceptable first language.. The war on the Planes of Abraham was a seminal event but it is not the only event to make Canada what it is…there`s room for all respectfully …but no room for downtrodding an inherent founding and legal way of life , just because small pockets of a group don`t accept or believe in those inherent rights to cultural freedom that differs from their own.. No where does it say in the FLSA that all other languages or cultures are not permitted in education or work…that is LFA `s inane made up idea ….hard to justify a plain outright wrong idealism for the sake of conquring all over again…don`t buy it!
When the population feels they cannot stand up for their rights for fear of jobs nurses and many others as well as the reprecutions. THIS IS CALLED OPPRESSION
Perhaps you should include your own name on that list Mr. Tremblay.
“REG….please…. I guess with you logic is out the window. I would encourage you to re read the Mélanie B and Kaede s comments… you obviously missed their point. Id write it in french but you probably wouldnt understand it either..then again maybe I should type slower… Y..O…U ….I give up, you have no logic. PERIOD.”
Have you found some humility since Thursday?
@patrick boucher
From your writing you seem to be able to speak perfect english?? You had a problem with Bell and waited all that time when you could have just spoke english and had your problem resolved??!! Why would you do that?? Seems soooo funny to me to put yourself through that!!?? You have the luxury of being able to speak both languages and you choose not to?? What a shame!
@Kim, I’m sorry to say your missing the whole point. If its a right that i have under the constitution, shouldnt I as a french canadian be able to benefit from it. I am much more comfortable in french then I am in English. And with bell canada, i am the customer, it is their duty to offer me services in french.
Whats a shame is that from grade 1 to grade 12, most if not all unilingual anglos in ontario had the luxury of taking french courses..some did some didnt. And today…those same unilingual anglos have to turn their cereal box to the english side to read the ingredients.
regarding the flsa…if they`re were truly an equal playing field,there would be no need for this legislative choice.. during the Ontario voting the area mpps that did not want it or need it abstained , the ridings that felt it was important implememted it.. that`s why the flsa is not every where in Ontario . only in the areas that political ridings felt it was warranted.. and worthwhile.. it never was about stopping others from education aor jobs.. it is about fairness.. true fairness in each riding…
50% bilingual hospital ,100% bilingual health unit ,3 French clinics of which they refuse to treat anyone other then French-which is against the Canada heath act!Where are the English only clinics?where is there representation by population.
Pehaps we could have English only bathrooms?
Having one language only clinic’s does not promote social cohesion!
The FLSA has only created devision through unfair/as well as descriminatory hiring practices.
Since when does a goverment have a right to mandate hiring above that of the existing population -to surly do is to descriminate-WELCOME TO DISCRIMINTION NATION!
what language is the main one at the clinic on Mcconnell, on Pitt st both north AND south. the Ingliside clinic…think you answered your own quaestion silent majority2
So les habitants I guess they state English only-my how ignorant you are ,its when one language only is French is that exeptable r
Right?
2% unilingual French (900 people)-So that justifies all those bilingual hires -there is more people hired “bilingual”then there is unilingual French.
In a Democracy -representation by population-therefore hospital should have 20% ,not 50%!
Health unit 100% hires bilingual in a community of 20%
Logically those numbers do not warrent 100% bilingual!
NOW-in this perverse Logic 2% of the population justifies 100 % of hires .
Quebec has 10% English so do we see 100% English hires …..wait English is forbidden there -so Quebec excluded -3.4% remains bilingual -therefore trillions have been spent for 3.4% of the population.wow. how priveledged you are!!!!
Cry me a river, les. In each of those “English” clinics you receive service in French if requested. You confirmed it yourself by saying that English was not the only-language there. Since the majority of Cornwall is Anglos, the main language is English, naturally, but francophones have always been served in French when requested.
Folks, we are wasting our time explaining the obvious to les habitants with low IQ.
So with that logic, we need only put 1 or 2 wheelchair ramps since percentage wise …there isnt many people that require them ?? no more handicap parkings since they are almost always empty… 2% unilingual french ..maybe, but close to 30 % if not more french speaking… and in stressful situations, being served in your own language while your experiencing chest pains makes all the difference in the world.
I have been to every clinic in Cornwall there is no such thing as english only or french only clinics.
silent majority2 ,how do you schedule appropriate number of bilingual workers who work shifts and are entitled to sick days and vacation? how do you figure 20% bilingual? that means the same 20 % would be working 24-7..! It is not ignorant to understand the logic behind providing proper communication standards by legal acceptable means without displacing any other culture.. no where does the flsa say that all other languages are to be replaced… by french only.. only french included!! it must be nice to be sblr to walk into any clinic of your choosing and be served in the language you grew up in or were educated the same fairness applies to those who grew up in and were educated in french as well.. having a french clinic did not close down any others did it? no….be fair..
laura lee why the insults can`t think of a proper answer I imagine.. my neighbors are french speaking french raised and french working.. with your attitude they would be living in another place and not business owners in Cornwall that hire dozens of bilingual workers and provide valuable well paying jobs…
Patrick I can assure you that’s not true. The French clinic will not accept unilingual anglophones (unless they’ve recently changed their policies) They will speak to you in English if you pass whatever linguistic criteria they have.