Machjo

And since I'm both, I'm also an anglo in Quebec. I really am curious to know what problem official unilingualism would impose on me Cybercoma.

And what about the Deaf? No official sign language either.

I was a Franco in the ROC until about a year ago and probably will be again in a year's time. So would you mind pointing out my problem to me? And what about allophones in Quebec and the ROC?

There is a poll and a debate on the subject here: http://forums.canadiancontent.net/canadian-politics/145709-your-thoughts-official-unilingualism.html There is even a Quebec sivereignist participating in it. He's still not convinced that Anglos in the ROC support official unilingualism, thinking too few people voted in the poll. Ironic that he supports official bilingualism but would hesitate to push it politically since he believes the ROC opposes it. I keep saying the ROC would embrace it. I need some help here.

That 42% can 'hold a conversation' in both language according to Stats Can. No reflection of biliteracy for example. And holding a conversation? What? Haggling at the marjet? Idle chit chat with friends and family? All of that is low-level in business, academia, job market, understanding news articles, etc.

And here's what I don't get. That you hate Esperanto so much that you would defend official bilingualism for no other reason than that a person who promotes official unilingualism happens to also recognise a value in Esperanto. No logic in that at all.

Then just English and French then.

Many put stickers on it already. Just go to Chinatown. But that's even more expensive than to include it in the packaging originally. One possibility I could see is to allow the local indigenous language, Esperanto, and the official language of the municipality to fulfil the requirement federally unless a provincial law restricts it further. Bill 101 would require French in Quebec of course. Allowing the local indigenous language would be more symbolic, but even that can go far in showing good will. Some SME exporters in China use Esperanto to trade with other non-English countries. At least five such businesses that I know of. This could allow them for example to package in Chinese and Esperanto if they don't have an English translator available just to fulfil the Canadian legal requirement to sel l to Richmond or China toens across Canada, especially food products others will probably not but anyway. If a province doesn't like that, it passes it's own Bill 101 requiring English.

Agreed. That's part of the problem. In the French forum we were discussing how many French, Swiss, Belgian, and French African products are inaccessible to the Québec market due to the bilingual packaging requirents of the Packaging and Labeling Act. Translation is expensive, which makes it pointless unless you are sure you will recoup the cost.bIf in doubt, you drop it.In that sense, official bilingualism holds French back from its full potential in world markets. It essentially limits us to bilingual Anglo-French markets. While English and French are each major world markets, Anglo-French is quite small in comparison.

Damn, the guy in the French forum is still not convinced, thinking this forum is maybe exceptional. Maybe another province would need to call such a referendum first to show Quebecers that English Canadians would really go for it. If he's that convinced that English Canadians are really that much in favour of official bilingualism, no wonder he's a sivereignist! I imagine that his perceptions have probably been influenced by Anglo-Quebeckers and presumed that the English in the ROC are the same.

I used to live in Charlevoix.They knew English as well as the average British Columbia speaks French. I also used to live on the Island of Montreal. It was a bilingual oasis. Whenever I ventured off-island, it was predominantly unilingual English in some places or unilingual French in most places. I'd never lived in Québec City, but when I'visited, the vast majority there don't know English except the tourist shops in the old city all seem to be manned by bilinguals, but that's about it. Where I live now is mostly bilingual, but I could reach Ontario within 1 hour on foot from where I live!

Not only rural. Even many off-island Montreal suburbs are unilingual French.

I guess only the highest state-level would need to be bilingual since provincial level Federal positions would all be unilingual.

You mean in Québec, the ROC, or total? I don't remember exact figures, but in Quebec it's majority. In the ROC it's almost non-existent except in Labrador and South Eastern Ontario. Total, a small majority due to Quebec's figure. So yes, a majority don't know English Canada-wide, but they're all concentrated in key areas.

I think I know what you meant now. Federal law is officially bilingual and applies Canada-wide, same with the Constitution.

But this thread proposes changing that part of the Constitution.

Redrawing borders? We'd talked about that, but since that would expand Quebec's land mass, I'm not sure. Then again, some English speakers might say good riddance?

Anglophone I guess. O split? To be honest, I would prefer a policy of official unilingualism not at the provincial but rather at the local level. This could make municipalities in Quebec English-speaking and many outside of Québec French speaking. However, since I was debating a Québec sovereignist, I figured he might not go for that. That said, we had discussed shifting borders along linguistic lines. While some municipalities of Québec might go to Ontario, Quebec would gain Labrador abd South Eastern Ontario! Though we both supported the idea in principle, we both thought that would be pushing it with the English. I guess that could be my next thread. I'm a federalist, he a sivereignist, but we are both in favour of official unilingualism which definitely made the conversation interesting. But yes, I would be open to redrawing provincial boundaries. You?

Itwouldn't equal with English. It would be the only official language of the Constitution in Québec (except on reserves I suppose) and enjoy no official status at all in the ROC.

Why can't they learn a second language? That's what I did. Four actually. Maybe we could drop many of the private sector requirements of Bill 101 in exchange. Also, it might allow more sign-language services for example. My view is official unilingualism, personal bilingualism. The ROC has it backwards. Québec has the right idea

And thanks again.Keep 'em coming.

Nope, just not imposed. Same with French elsewhere.

Most European countries follow not a closed-circuit bilingual policy but rather a radiating one. In Hungary for example, everyone learns Hungarian and a second language, but not necessarily English. Over 20 languages to choose from.

Not only services. What about packaging and labeling on imports.Also, in the modern world, is closed&circuit bilingualism a wise policy? If all English learn French and all French English, that allows to communicate with about 17% if the world's population max! What about the rest of the world?

I'm mother-tongue bilingual, presently live in Quebec but will soon move to Toronto. I figure it's up to me to learn a second language. No one has a God-given right to be unilingual.