U of O urged to spend $130M to protect its 'bilingual nature&

[Leafless]

The University of Ottawa needs to recruit more French-speaking students and professors to stop the decline in francophone enrolment, according to a report on French-language services at the university, released yesterday.

University president Gilles Patry said the university needs to spend about $26 million a year until 2012 -- about three per cent of the university's $760-million budget -- to increase the proportion of francophones at the bilingual university.

I would say University of Ottawa can do what it wants if it was a private university supported by francophone tax payers..

But it is not. As a matter of fact,

Most of the money to recruit francophone's, and offer more French-language courses at the university, is expected to come from the Ontario government.

That is primarily English tax payers of Ontario.

More crying the blues,

We get many more applications from English-speaking candidates, even though 57 per cent of francophone high school graduates in Ontario choose the University of Ottawa," Mr. de Blois said.

Well this seems logical to me as Ottawa, Ontario is a majority English city as is the province of Ontario supports a very large majority of English speaking residents.

Mr. de Blois said the federal government should help pay for the effort to increase the French presence at the university because it has a responsibility and budget to support bilingualism and biculturalism across Canada.

Now Mr.Blois has dragged the federal government into the picture besides Ontario provincial government.

Funny thing, Mr. Blois says the federal government has a responsibility (or tax payers of Canada) to support bilingualism and bicuturalism across Canada to help pay for the effort to increase the French presence at the university.

Does Mr. Blois not know 'biculturalism' is dead and Canada is 'officially multicultural'.

Attracting French students to the university has nothing to do with bilingualism or multiculturalism.

I have an answer to this, why not move the university of Ottawa to Quebec where the language is officially French and have the Quebec provincial government and Quebec tax payers pay for funding French ideologies and get rid of the horrible English students who it seems are currently supporting the University of Ottawa.

[guyser]

Considering that the real name is Universite d'Ottawa and Universite Saint-Paul , not sure why one would be annoyed .

Lets not forget that the University has as its founding tenets....

Objects of University 4. The objects and purposes of the University are,

(a) to promote the advancement of learning and the dissemination of knowledge;

( to further, in accordance with Christian principles, the intellectual, spiritual, moral, physical and social development of, as well as a community spirit among its undergraduates, graduates and teaching staff, and to promote the betterment of society;

© to further bilingualism and biculturalism and to preserve and develop French culture in Ontario.

Attracting French students to the university has nothing to do with bilingualism or multiculturalism.

OH? What does it have to do with?

I have an answer to this, why not move the university of Ottawa to Quebec where the language is officially French and have the Quebec provincial government and Quebec tax payers pay for funding French ideologies and get rid of the horrible English students who it seems are currently supporting the University of Ottawa.

Then you would moan about the loss of $1Billion dollars to the local economy. Ouch, that would hurt.

But there is one thing I know that makes you happy. It was founded on Christian fundamentals, not sure of they were white or not , so take solace in that.

By the way, the Universite d'Ottawa act was passed in 1965 . Kind of hard to moan about now n'est ce pas?

Edited August 30, 2007 by guyser

[Leafless]

Considering that the real name is Universite d'Ottawa and Universite Saint-Paul , not sure why one would be annoyed .

University Saint -Paul is a separate university from University of Ottawa, although it is federated with University of Ottawa.

Lets not forget that the University has as its founding tenets....

© to further bilingualism and biculturalism and to preserve and develop French culture in Ontario.

Ottawa University is touted as simply a bilingual university. Your statement if made in a public way, probably would result in far fewer English speakers applications. BTW-Local media (newspaper) has laid out accounts of Ottawa University admistration discriminating against English speaking students.

Your statement is condescending to English speakers of Ontario who pay the bills and form the bulk of Ontario's population of around 12-million, as compared to the Francophone population down around 1/2 million.

Based on the above funding levels, the University of Ottawa will receive about $28.2 million this year, an increase of about 42 percent over 2003-04

http://www.media.uottawa.ca/mediaroom/news-details_1217.html

Gee, I wonder who Premier of Ontario Dalton McGuinty is working for? Not the federal Liberals, I hope.

OH? What does it have to do with?

LEARNING!!!!

Then you would moan about the loss of $1Billion dollars to the local economy. Ouch, that would hurt.

Not me.

By the way, the Universite d'Ottawa act was passed in 1965 . Kind of hard to moan about now n'est ce pas?

What Act is that?

The one related to St. Paul University whereas it legally became in 1965 St.Paul University from its previous name Ottawa University designated in 1866.

[Leafless]

I had originally neglected to include the lead story, anyways here it is.

http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/c...dd-62573f627b8f

[capricorn]

U of O is my alma mater. I feel kind of silly as I never knew the university received any external funding. The registration fees and associated costs being as high as they were never gave a hint that revenues needed to be supplemented from outside sources.

U of O needs to adapt to the law of supply and demand. If there are not enough francophone or bilingual students then it has to adjust. You cannot produce what is non-existent.

Government funding may have been appropriate 25-30 years age. Not now.

[Evan]

My wife was looking at going to U of O. Unfortunately, the medical course she was interested in taking in English is no longer carried in English. French only. Shame, Carleton U didn't have the course. So I guess unless we want to move the family she's up a specific creek sans un levier. Not sure what my point is exactly, but it ties into Ottawa U and bilingualism I think.

[Leafless]

My wife was looking at going to U of O. Unfortunately, the medical course she was interested in taking in English is no longer carried in English. French only. Shame, Carleton U didn't have the course. So I guess unless we want to move the family she's up a specific creek sans un levier. Not sure what my point is exactly, but it ties into Ottawa U and bilingualism I think.

Maybe that is why some people referred to it as 'U of Zero' as in '0', including John Tory.

http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/s...4f-8f5a80eda916

[Leafless]

My wife was looking at going to U of O. Unfortunately, the medical course she was interested in taking in English is no longer carried in English. French only.

I would gather this could be discrimination against English speaking applicants.

And how far could this actually go, with the more desired courses offered in French only and the less desired ones in English.

Personally I think the only reason English courses are offered at all is because of the funding issue.

[Leafless]

My wife was looking at going to U of O. Unfortunately, the medical course she was interested in taking in English is no longer carried in English. French only.

I would gather this could be discrimination against English speaking applicants.

And how far could this actually go, with the more desired courses offered in French only and the less desired ones in English.

Personally I think the only reason English courses are offered at all is because of the funding issue.

[Evan]

** Post edited and removed because I realized I didn't know what I was talking about **

Edited September 5, 2007 by Evan

[M.Dancer]

** Post edited and removed because I realized I didn't know what I was talking about **

Oh to have your wisdom.....

[Kapitän Rotbart]

I would gather this could be discrimination against English speaking applicants.

And how far could this actually go, with the more desired courses offered in French only and the less desired ones in English.

Personally I think the only reason English courses are offered at all is because of the funding issue.

Kind of like Canada, uOttawa is a university of two languages (though a large proportion of uOttawa students are bilingual).

uOttawa is the only university in Ontario offering full post-secondary programmes in French... shouldn't cost those poor Anglophone tax payers too much proportionally speaking (the money going into funding education in French at uOttawa is a small proportion of funding invested in post-secondary institutions throughout Ontariario).

In this case it is not a matter of discrimination. There are some courses not available in English, and some courses not available in French. Most courses are available in both languages, however many courses (mostly engineering) at uOttawa are only offered in English (I'm sure francophones consider this discrimination aswell). It's not discrimination, it means if one wants to truly benefit from what is offered at an institution of two languages, one should know both.

[uOttawaMan]

As an anglophone at U Ottawa taking only English courses... my response to that statement is lukewarm at best.

[Leafless]

Most courses are available in both languages, however many courses (mostly engineering) at uOttawa are only offered in English (I'm sure francophones consider this discrimination aswell). It's not discrimination, it means if one wants to truly benefit from what is offered at an institution of two languages, one should know both.

Francophones cannot consider this discrimination as OttawaU is not official bilingual, nor the province of Ontario is not officially bilingual.

It is only through the efforts of Ontario's Premier Dalton Mc.Guinty that this bilingual university is treated to the kind of large grants it presently receives.

Mc.Guinty a bilingual RC, should remember Ontario is not officially bilingual and he should perhaps keep his nose out of federal bilingual initiatives that he has nothing to do with as premier of extremely large majority English speaking Ontario.

Edited September 18, 2007 by Leafless

[uOttawaMan]

Francophones cannot consider this discrimination as OttawaU is not official bilingual, nor the province of Ontario is not officially bilingual.

It is only through the efforts of Ontario's Premier Dalton Mc.Guinty that this bilingual university is treated to the kind of large grants it presently receives.

Mc.Guinty a bilingual RC, should remember Ontario is not officially bilingual and he should perhaps keep his nose out of federal bilingual initiatives that he has nothing to do with as premier of extremely large majority English speaking Ontario.

You're cute.

[guyser]

Francophones cannot consider this discrimination as OttawaU is not official bilingual,

followed by..

It is only through the efforts of Ontario's Premier Dalton Mc.Guinty that this bilingual university is treated to the kind of large grants it presently receives.

or you can read what the Univ says about this....."Founded as the College of Bytown in 1848, the University of Ottawa today is North America's oldest and largest bilingual university. Thanks to the Archives of the University, you can relive our institution's 150-years history. "

Source..http://www.uottawa.ca/services/archives/eng/index.html. It is all over in there that they are bilingual. Is it in their official creed? Not that I can find, but then again, it does not state that it is officially English either.

Mc.Guinty a bilingual RC, should remember Ontario is not officially bilingual and he should perhaps keep his nose out of federal bilingual imitiatives that he has nothing to do with as premier of extremely large majority English speaking Ontario.

Go up north sometime. Its french up there. Over half a million french ....need those votes baby!

[Leafless]

Source..http://www.uottawa.ca/services/archives/eng/index.html. It is all over in there that they are bilingual. Is it in their official creed? Not that I can find, but then again, it does not state that it is officially English either.

Up to now, that is because Ontario does not practice racism like Quebec by creating official status for English with a charter or provincial constitution to boot.

But it should and I hope it does.

Go up north sometime. Its french up there. Over half a million french ....need those votes baby!

Why should I go up north sometime, there is nobody there:

Northern Ontario occupies roughly 85% of the surface area of the province; conversely Southern Ontario contains 94% of the population (see article Geography of Canada).

You have your French facts all twisted:

The vast majority of Ontarians are of British or other European descent. Slightly less than five percent of the population of Ontario is Franco-Ontarian, that is those whose native tongue is French, although those with French ancestry account for 11% of the population

And the population of Ontario is 12,160,282.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ontario

Edited September 18, 2007 by Leafless

[guyser]

Up to now, that is because Ontario does not practice racism like Quebec by creating official status for English with a charter or provincial constitution to boot.

Contrary to your pontificatons, Uof O is french and english. Sorry bub, but thats the breaks. Ask the univ yourself .

Why should I go up north sometime, there is nobody there:

Ah, wonderful, slag your provincial brothers, atta boy ! Besides being the nicest part of Ontario?..the best scenery....open spaces ...fresh air...clean lakes , nahhhh...nuttin to see.Geez, ever been north of Pembroke?

You have your French facts all twisted:

Oh I do ? Hmmm....dont think so.

And you use Wiki to back your assertions up?

Well leafless, I would think it rather prudent to use the cite "Government of Ontario, Office of Francophone Affairs". Might be a tad better , not to mention authentic, but hey thats me, I like to cite relevance as opposed to.....

Anyhow, there is 548,940 French in Ontario, primarly up north.

read here so as to stop silly arguements...

http://www.ofa.gov.on.ca/english/commun.html

And the population of Ontario is 12,160,282.

Umm ok....never said otherwise and I knew that.

Since 5% of Ontario is French.....oh my god, the math works, POP X 5% = 600,000 approx.

[Kapitän Rotbart]

Francophones cannot consider this discrimination as OttawaU is not official bilingual, nor the province of Ontario is not officially bilingual.

Ottawa U is in Kansas and it is no where near being bilingual.

uOttawa has always been bilingual. It does not depend on the province's language status. uOttawa's bilingualism pre-dates the McGuinty's.

It is indeed a university of two languages, and most courses only available in French are in social sciences anyway (and most people with social science degrees would like to work for the government or at least in the public sector)... uOttawa used to require bilingualism upon enrollment, but they've loosened up on the language requirements. It still makes sense that one be bilingual to fully benefit from what uOttawa has to offer.

[Leafless]

uOttawa used to require bilingualism upon enrollment, but they've loosened up on the language requirements. It still makes sense that one be bilingual to fully benefit from what uOttawa has to offer.

Do you have a clue what you are saying as the topic, part of the lead story is this:

The University of Ottawa needs to recruit more French-speaking students and professors to stop the decline in francophone enrolment, according to a report on French-language services at the university, released yesterday.

University president Gilles Patry said the university needs to spend about $26 million a year until 2012 -- about three per cent of the university's $760-million budget -- to increase the proportion of francophones at the bilingual university

If this is the problem the answer lies with Francophone taxpayers not majority English speaking taxpayers of Ontario with an RC, bilingual premier, Dalton Mc.Guinty who is padding French interest.

Remember, separation of church and state.

[Kapitän Rotbart]

Remember, separation of church and state.

Fancy that, uOttawa is not a faith-based university since a really long time.

If you hate McGuinty so much, maybe you should consider voting against him.

The only solution to this if you're paranoid about tax dollar distribution (which you clearly are), maybe you should vote libertarian. They want to abolish public education. Brilliant! The libertarian candidate is kinda weird though, his big beef is the seat belt law, something I don't feel strongly about.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean-Serge_Brisson

[Leafless]

Fancy that, uOttawa is not a faith-based university since a really long time.

So Francophones traded in God for language and did have considerable success beating down the English, especially with the 'Charter of rights and Freedoms'. 'No'?

If you hate McGuinty so much, maybe you should consider voting against him.

Why would you tell me something I already know, outside of the fact of trying to impress your statement with the word 'HATE' that can be associated or connected with other words that are most typical, relating to your condescending rhetoric in this and other posts.

Edited September 21, 2007 by Leafless

[Kapitän Rotbart]

So Francophones traded in God for language and did have considerable success beating down the English, especially with the 'Charter of rights and Freedoms'. 'No'?

Francophones never 'traded God in'. Sure most Francophones are much less practicing in terms of religion since the quiet revolution, but they haven't gained anything from the quiet revolution... only nationalism. We could go on and on about this, but I'll agree that the quiet revolution was not favorable, and losing faith to nationalism is quite terrible, but all this is quite irrelevant to uOttawa.

uOttawa is still a Catholic university in the sense that at least most at the top of the hierarchy are Catholic, however it is not a "Catholic University" in the same way Catholic primary, middle and secondary schools are faith-based, because no uOttawa student is required to take faith-related classes, professors are not required to be Catholic, etc.

Oh, according to Time Magazine, Canada scored 94.2% regarding how free the given country really is, whereas the USA only scored 83.7%. (TIME Canadian Edition, September 17th, 2007 page 8). Maybe that Charter of rights and freedoms works in your favor too.