Le Nouveau Bilingualism ? Une Grosse Vache Sacrée À Déplacer

The CRTC did not register the tremor and continues on regulating telecommunications countrywide as if nothing had happened. Since the CRTC has barely recognized that the Internet could be an area worth regulating, perhaps there is little to expect in regards to taking proactive measures related to its impact on bilingualism among public broadcasters. After all la Société Radio-Canada (SRC) still operates with an arm-length relationship from CBC in accordance to the commitments of "les conditions de renouvellement de licence". SRC and CBC each have their own "Direction" and ombudsmen and are quite comfortable at carrying individual silo operations while cutting back. The bean counters at Stats Can or at the Minister of Official Languages keep counting the same numbers and reporting the same worrisome trends. Their counterparts at SRC measuring les cotes d'écoute hors-Québec seem to escape these trends somehow.

On the political front, le "language" has certainly not changed. The Conservatives ask to privatize and deregulate the CBC/SRC sacred cow while maintaining their wishy-washiness on bilingualism in order not to offend the voters in Québec. The Liberals respond by playing the great Canadian compromise card. The NDP keeps struggling at reaching the Québécois and the Bloc focuses well on funneling their discontent. The "francophonie" remains much of a taboo: it does not bring the vote, the subsidies are dwindling and the problem is perceived as unsolvable. Subsidies to la "Francophonie" certainly feel like they have not always benefited the People. But somehow les bureaucraties carry on course milking the cow unaltered by our political leaders preoccupied with other matters. And the search for the Canadian identity goes on, if there is one!

Blessing La Vache Sacrée
What was originally shoved down the throat of the ROC took some time to cycle through the digestive system. Sometimes in a more positive way than expected... being the neighbor of a country as powerful and sometimes as bully as the USA certainly increases self-awareness on our shortcomings, differences, assets, cultures and sometimes our accomplishments. Some call this our identity. As an FHQ having fully experienced both aspects of the loonie/huard coin, Canada's relationship with the USA reminds me of the relationship Quebec and the ROC. This would include how many Americans cheer our smaller lot case and our search for the great compromises. The Americans do have a very substantial Spanish language population and are painfully learning that they must compromise both internally and externally in order to open up.

Here on the Left Coast or in the large metropolitan areas, the non-Caucasian immigration is most noticeable. English is often no longer the language at home, at least in the first generation. Many Anglophones send their children to French immersion school so the children do not get slowed down by the ones struggling with English or learning disorders. Keener immigrants, known for working so hard, often join in once the English language is mastered in the household. Participation by parents is definitely better in the French immersion program. The children generally learn more and the program has become an excellent substitute to the high cost of private schooling. The program seems somewhat elitist but works well. This generation of Canadians will be far more comfortable with French than the previous generation ever was. Having more options job wise within the feds is also mentioned as a benefit of bilingualism, although that's somewhat controversial. When traveling abroad, using this second language certainly differentiates us from the Americans. When returning home, the flight attendant franco ritual has a reassuring touch.

Similarly to the French acknowledging the excellent content that keeps coming out of Québec, the ROC is also truly cheering. "Le Cirque du Soleil", "Les Invasions Barbares", "Les Grandes Séductions (Seducing Dr. Lewis)", "Les Triplets de Belleville" are recent examples of francophone content that truly reached People. Content seems to drive our modern world as exemplified on the Internet and accessing this content through its original language seems highly valuable. Although the case of French food will not qualify as "content", there are many other collateral benefits to expanding one's mind to a second language. I will note the wonderful fromage coming out of Quebec as yet another thing that nobody should mind having to live with. Judgment is reserved on La Poutine but I will warn my country-fellows against too much American influence. None of these have much to do with the official infrastructures or their bureaucracies but reflect at some level the basic question, "What is in it for me?" or, how can Bilingualism be pulled by People rather than pushed onto them for some vague cause of the collective good. People that are not bilingual really need to understand somehow that they are missing out on something precious. The sacredness has suffered from too much political interference.

Moving on with La Vache Sacrée
Perhaps les coups de barre led by Trudeau and Lévesque were both needed to rectify some of the anomalies of their times. A new course appears required and the People should get the upper hand. Bureaucraties should pull out or at the least be responsive to the People willing to participate to a Direct Democracy effort defining une Nouvelle Francophonie and un Nouveau Bilinguisme. The "services" should no longer be a political football but defined based on the real needs of Francophones, Anglophones and First Nations making up this country. The Liberals, Conservatives, NDP, Bloc and other parties should facilitate such an effort. The Québécois did go through a "joual" phase before they could express themselves better in French. We will someday do so in the ROC.

Shall we then push la Vache Sacrée, pull it or give it le coup de barre? Some people think that we should never touch a Sacred Cow. Pas chez moi. Et chez vous?