BulletinInfoaction February 2007 Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages New Commissioner Wants to Promote a Constructive Dialogue New Commissioner Wants to in the concept of linguistic duality—one Promote a Constructive Dialogue 1 of Canada’s defining characteristics. Graham Fraser Is No Stranger As Canada becomes more culturally to Language Issues 3 diverse, linguistic duality becomes increasingly important since these elements Bilingualism and the Vancouver are closely intertwined. A bilingual 2010 Olympic Games 3 environment is more receptive to multi- Up Close and Bilingual: culturalism. Without recognition of The New Commissioner Canada’s two language communities, the Lays Out His Priorities 4 concept of multiculturalism would be harder to promote. Furthermore, people Consulting Minority Graham Fraser exposed to a second language and culture Communities 7 Commissioner of Official Languages generally tend to be more open to other Implementing Part VII: cultures. Achieving Concrete Results 8 would like to take this opportunity to Throughout my mandate, I will work to introduce myself and outline my Strong Support for promote Canada’s two official languages Ivision of the role of Commissioner of as a vital element of leadership and Linguistic Duality 10 Official Languages. As a journalist, I have front-line service in both the public and Air Canada’s Language had the rare privilege of closely observing private sectors. I will also work to ensure Requirements 12 and reporting on relations between the federal public service sets the standard Canada’s two language communities and in this regard. seeing first-hand the extent to which bilingualism is ingrained in the Canadian Canada’s linguistic duality depends on identity. I accepted the position of the vitality of its two official language Commissioner because I strongly believe communities, and I will devote my mandate The Social Fabric of Canada A fabric is woven of many threads. Those of us who speak English and those of us who speak French — ourselves made up of many different elements — have joined together to weave a social fabric called Canada. The golden fabric at the centre symbolizes the meeting place of our two linguistic communities and the richness of the dialogue between them. 2 | Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages BulletinInfoaction to promoting and strengthening this government cannot hire enough fluently Since education is a provincial vitality. I want to be a bridge-builder and, bilingual staff. While there is clear responsibility, I plan to work closely with to this end, will use every available tool to interest in bilingualism (i.e. some all governments to advance the issue of foster a dialogue between Canada’s official 300,000 young Canadians are enrolled official language instruction. I feel I can language communities, federal institutions in immersion programs), most English- be a bridge-builder in this regard, and and new Canadians. language universities treat French as a would like to promote and encourage I will work to promote our two official foreign language. If engineering schools partnerships. I also want to help Canadians languages and protect the language rights told students they didn’t need to learn understand the benefits of speaking a of minority communities. I will ensure computers because their future employers second language, since people who the federal government respects its would teach them, businesses would speak both official languages have a commitments under the Official immediately protest. While the federal better knowledge and understanding of Languages Act, especially those set out in government provides language training members of the other community. the recently amended Part VII. All federal to many of its employees, it would make I look forward to engaging in a institutions are now legally required to more sense—and be less costly for tax constructive dialogue with all Canadians adopt positive measures to ensure English payers—to teach the second language at —Anglophones and Francophones, and French have equal status in a younger age. newcomers and native-born—to help Canadian society. strengthen Canada’s linguistic duality. In the longer term, I would like to see a review of our approach to language instruction. In my opinion, our current approach is the reason the federal The French language belongs to all Canadians, just as English belongs to all Canadians. It’s a part of our heritage — and one of our greatest assets. Graham Fraser, House of Commons Standing Committee on Official Languages, September 28, 2006. Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages ISSN: 1203-0996 344 Slater Street, 3rd floor, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0T8 Toll-free number: 1-877-996-6368 Fax: 613-993-5082 [email protected] www.ocol-clo.gc.ca Atlantic Region Québec Region Ontario Region Manitoba and Alberta, British Columbia, Tel.: 506-851-7047 Tel.: 514-283-4996 Tel.: 416-973-1903 Saskatchewan Region Northwest Territories, 1-800-561-7109 1-800-363-0628 1-800-387-0635 Tel.: 204-983-2111 Yukon and Nunavut Region 1-800-665-8731 Tel.: 780-495-3111 1-800-661-3642 3 | Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages BulletinInfoaction Graham Fraser Is No Stranger to Language Issues raham Fraser is a respected Mr. Fraser reported in both official In 1979, he helped found the Centre for journalist and author who has languages on cultural and foreign policy, Investigative Journalism, the bilingual Gtaken an interest in linguistic constitutional debates and national, precursor of the Canadian Association of duality all throughout his career. provincial and international politics. He Journalists, and served on the Centre’s Born in Ottawa, he has also lived and has spoken on official languages issues board for two terms. Mr. Fraser is the worked in Toronto, Montréal, Québec to minority organizations in Quebec, first recipient of the Public Policy and Washington. Mr. Fraser was educated New Brunswick and Ontario, as well as Forum’s Hyman Solomon Award for at the University of Toronto, where he national minority language organizations. Excellence in Public Policy Journalism. earned a Bachelor of Arts degree and a He has also given talks on language policy Master of Arts degree in History. as an adjunct professor at Carleton University and at other universities. Before becoming Commissioner, Mr. Fraser worked as a journalist for the Mr. Fraser has written several books, Toronto Star, where he was the newspaper’s including Sorry, I Don’t Speak French, national affairs writer. He also worked for published in March 2006. The book Maclean’s, The Montreal Gazette and The helped renew public discussion of language Globe and Mail. He was a weekly columnist policy in Canada. He is also the author of for Le Devoir from 1995 to 2000 and PQ: René Lévesque and the Parti has been a regular commentator on Québecois in Power, which dealt with Panorama, a public affairs program Quebec language policy and which was on TFO. nominated for a Governor General’s Award for Non-Fiction in 1984. Bilingualism and the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Games In 2010, athletes from around the world will gather One of the early issues of concern is television broadcasting: in Vancouver for the Olympic Winter Games. The the English-language rights are held by CTV, while the Commissioner of Official Languages, Graham Fraser, will French-language rights are shared by TQS and RDS. be closely following the preparations for the event. He This will put Francophones in Canada at a disadvantage explained to the Senate Standing Committee on Official since, for most residents living outside Quebec, these Languages that “At the 2006 Olympic Winter Games in channels are only accessible through digital cable or Turin, English was predominant, while French was used satellite subscription. In addition, CTV plans to devote only at the opening and closing ceremonies, even twice as much air time to the Games as both French- though it is an official language at the Olympics. In language networks. Vancouver, we will need to do much better with respect The Commissioner is asking organizers to ensure that to language. Canadians receive an equal quality of coverage of the Olympic Games and sports commentary in both official languages. 4 | Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages BulletinInfoaction Up Close and Bilingual: The New Commissioner Lays Out his Priorities raham Fraser took some One of the first times I went to the City How did becoming bilingual define your time out recently to talk to of Québec was in 1976 for a political view of bilingualism? GInfoaction about himself and his convention. I looked out the window to I think language is "relationship-based" vision for the future. Born in Ottawa and the hills around the city, with the houses that is, tied to the relationships we have educated in Toronto, Mr. Fraser worked all lit up, and said to myself: “All those with individual people. When public for many years as a journalist in Quebec people speak French!” service employees make greater use of and has written extensively about language Living in Québec was real immersion! their skills in their second language on issues over the years. He brings his own There’s no simultaneous translation the job, they slowly change how they unique perspective to the position, which in the Quebec National Assembly. There relate to the people around them. Simply he took up on October 17, 2006. were all these expressions used by taking a course in French doesn’t mean How did you become bilingual? politicians that were completely foreign that you can suddenly interact effectively to me. One expression that I couldn’t with colleagues in the other language. It’s When I was a student at the University of figure out at all was “en bonne et due a task you have to work at—practice Toronto in 1965, a classmate told me forme.” I heard it as “en bonnet du forme.” makes perfect.