[lg policy] Canada: STM should stop rubbing its language policies in everybody=?windows-1252?Q?=92s_?=faces

[Harold Schiffman]

Letter: STM should stop rubbing its language policies in everybody’s faces


Montreal Gazette October 31, 2012

Re: “Bilingualism as hiring need hit by minister” (Business, Oct. 30)

Immigration Minister Minister Diane De Courcy, reflects a sad malaise
in the mentality of language extremists and the Parti Québécois. She
says that it is a “malaise” that French-speaking immigrants cannot
find jobs because of their lack of English skills. I should not have
to rehash the obvious fact that English is essential for business and
is a fact of life in Quebec. The PQ will never be able to legislate it
away.

The REAL malaise lies in the fact that the Société des Transports de
Montréal and government officials feel the need to keep trumpeting
from the tops of the tallest buildings that “employees of the STM are
not obliged to speak any other language than French.” Okay! We know
that! It is a counter-productive and divisive policy. But that is not
the point. The point that is missed here is that the inflammatory
tactics of Premier Pauline Marois and the PQ are empowering
small-minded people to express their contempt of “les Anglais” and
“les autres.”

Instead of rubbing the language policies of the STM in everybody’s
faces, why doesn’t the STM start educating their mainly unilingual
workers on the virtues of polite public service (that is what they
are: public servants).

Read more: http://www.montrealgazette.com/Letter+should+stop+rubbing+language+policies+everybody+faces/7475539/story.html#ixzz2Az40uSPj


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