DOCUMENT RESUME ED 429 447 FL 025 794 TITLE Official Languages and the Economy. New Canadian Perspectives. Papers Presented at a Colloquium (Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, May 5, 1995). INSTITUTION Canadian Heritage, Ottawa (Ontario). ISBN ISBN-0-662-24925-9 PUB DATE 1997-00-00 NOTE 274p. PUB TYPE Collected Works Proceedings (021) EDRS PRICE MF01/PC11 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS *Bilingualism; *Economic Factors; *Employment Patterns; Foreign Countries; Immigrants; Labor Market; *Language Minorities; *Language Role; *Official Languages; Population Trends; Public Policy; Trend Analysis IDENTIFIERS *Canada; Manitoba ABSTRACT Papers from a colloquium on the relationship between Canada's official languages and its economy include: "Economic Dimensionsof Minority and Foreign Language Use: An International Overview" (Karim H. Karim); "European Research on the economics of Language: Recent Results and Relevance to Canada" (Francois Grin) ;"Reflections on Some Economic Aspects of Bilingualism" (Albert Breton); "The Comparative Advantages ofBilingualism on the Job Market: Survey of Studies" (Ghislain Savoie);"Official Language Implications of Immigration" (Alice Nakamura, Emi Nakamura) ;"Economic Costs and Benefits of the Official Languages: Some Observations" (Francois Villancourt); "How Linguistic Minority Communities; Contribute to the Economic Well-Being of Their Regions" (George J. De Benedetti, Maurice Beaudin); "The Two Official Languages and the Economy: A Manitoban Perspective" (Jean-Paul Gobeil); "Reflections on the Relationship Between Languages and the economy as Applied to Canada (Gilles Grenier); and"The Economic Benefits of Linguistic Duality and Bilingualism: A Political Economy Approach" (Harold Chorney) .The transcription of a panel discussion is also included. An introductory section provides background information on the colloquium and its topic, and includes selected quotations from the program. (MSE) ******************************************************************************** * * Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made * from the original document. * ******************************************************************************** . - 16, AIN A MI a/I a 1 I -_ aighorAell ..4111 U S DEPARTMENT OFEDUCATION Office of Educational Researchand improvement EDUCATIONAL RESOURCESINFORMATION _.11.- "Milk411116& --iw. PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE AND r CENTER (ERIC) This document has beenreproduced as DISSEMINATE THIS MATERIAL HAS eceived from the person ororganization BEEN GRANTED BY originating it 1 made to 0 Minor changes have been _e.---- improve reproductionquality ill Points of view or opinionsstated in this document do not necessarilyrepresent %.... TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES official OERI position or policy INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) r\=r- 'Nip/ 1 L5 rI at C.) 08II4. -...\ 4- BESTCOPYAVAILABLE 2 A Official Languages and the Economy Papers presented at a Colloquium hosted by the Official Languages Support Programs Branch, Department of Canadian Heritage, held on May 5, 1995. The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect federal government policy or opinion. Canadian Cataloguing in Publication Data Main entry under title: Official Languages and the Economy: Papers presented at a Colloquium hosted by the Official Languages Support Programs Branch, Department of Canadian Heritage, held on May 5, 1995 (New Canadian Perspectives) Issued also in French under title: Langues officielles et économie Includes bibliographical references. ISBN 0-662-24925-9 Cat. no. CH3-2/5-1996E 1. Language policy -- Economic aspects-- Canada Congresses. 2. BilingualismEconomic aspectsCanadaCongresses. 3. Linguistic minorities -- Economic aspects-- Canada -- Congresses. I.Canada. Canadian Heritage. Official Languages Support Programs Branch. II. Title. III. Series P119.32C32033 1996306.4'46'0971 C96-980325-7 ©Minister of Public Works and Government Services Canada 1997 Cat. no. CH3-2/5-1996E ISBN 0-662--24925-9 4 Table of Contents The Official Languages and the Economic Perspective: New Reality and New Thinking 1 Context 1 Main Themes 1 The Evolution of Discourse Concerning Official Languages 3 Conclusion 5 Selected Quotes from the Colloquium 6 Programme 9 Languages and the Economy: Canada in an International Perspective ...11 Economic Dimensions of Minority and Foreign Language Use: An International Overview - Karim H. Karim 13 European Research on the Economics of Language: Recent Results and Relevance to Canada - François Grin 37 Reflections on Some Economic Aspects of Bilingualism Albert Breton 55 Linguistic Competence, Investments and Impacts 63 The Comparative Advantages of Bilingualism on the Job Market: Survey of Studies - Ghislain Savoie 65 Official Language Implications of ImmigrationAlice Nakamura and Emi Nakamura 89 Economic Costs and Benefits of the Official Languages: Some Observations - François Vaillancourt 103 Official Languages and the Economy: Community Perspectives 119 How Linguistic Minority Communities Contribute to the Economic Well-being of Their Regions - George J. De Benedetti and Maurice Beaudin 121 The Two Official Languages and the Economy: A Manitoban PerspectiveJean-Paul Gobeil 159 Social and Economic Policy: A Distinction Without a Difference ? 169 Reflections on the Relationship Between Languages and the Economy as Applied to Canada - Gilles Grenier 171 The Economic Benefits of Linguistic Duality and Bilingualism: A Political Economy Approach - Harold Chorney 181 Proceedings of the Official Languages and the Economy Colloquium: New Canadian Perspectives 195 Official Languages and the Economy/ I The Official Languages and the Economic Perspective: New Reality and New Thinking Context On Friday, May 5, 1995, a colloquium entitled Official Languages and the Economy: New Canadian Perspectives was held in Ottawa. Organized by the Department of Canadian Heritage, this meeting allowed participants to hear the different points of view from a dozen specialists from the public sector, universities and the private sector. This group of some 80 persons engaged inintense deliberations on the relationshipsintheconcreterealityandtheday-to-daylifeof our countrybetween official bilingualism (i.e. the recognition of two official languages by federal institutions) and the economic sphere in general. The various aspects of the colloquium's theme were thus dealt with, including historical considerations, political and social points of view and, of course, the economic perspective.In this way, the major issues surrounding the linguistic duality of Canada were raised. What are the costs of the policy of bilingualism and what are its benefits? What regions benefit from it financially? How can we ensure the vitality of the linguistic minorities and their contribution to the country's economic growth? Under what conditions can bilingualism become a positive economic factor and truly contribute to the full development of the communities, to the development of industry, to the economic growth of business and the regions? Main themes The commercial aspect of bilingualism On an issue as complex and often as controversial as bilingualismin a social context to which the ambiguous dimension of multiculturalism must be addedopinions are divided. In this ideological diversity, however, new points of convergence were evident among a number of specialists and a way of thinking that is just beginning to take form, but which already opens, going far beyond the political and social dimensions of bilingualism, onto an avenue that is essentially economic in nature. In this context one speaks clearly of financial benefits and commercial exploitation of acquired skills and specializations. Against a global background of trade and competition, the individual and collective acquisition of a second language is now seen as an economic "asset." 6 Official Languages and the Economy/ 2 Language training and commercialization Canadians must learn to use their bilingualism more commercially. Until now, for example, language training was regarded as a service offered by the federal government to its employees. For the general public, access to education in one of the two official languages was promoted through various programs in cooperation with the provinces. Today, we see the multinational firms taking an interest in language training for economic reasons. Because of the extraordinary movement of goods and services between countries, the new Europe relies increasingly on the teaching of languages. In this regard, Canada will have a twofold advantage.Since our country is a member of both La Francophonie and the Commonwealth, its bilingualism is a vital tool for commercial development. Linguistic duality has a direct impact on the economy. It is a question of entering a new phase, for, over the years, Canada has acquired considerable and outstanding expertise in the teaching of languages which can be marketed on the international level. New orientations and gains Much water has flowed under the bridge since the Official Languages Act was enacted in 1969. The shape of the world has changed in ways as unexpected as they have been rapid. The major political upheavals, the international trade agreements, the new partnerships, the irresistible "building" of the new Europe, technological change, the shift in competitive challenges, the advent of the information highway, the competition and the new relationships among trading nationsall these factors give the world's major languages additional importance.