HomeDiagramsDatabaseMapsForum About
     

Go Back   SkyscraperPage Forum > Regional Sections > Canada


View Poll Results: Should Ottawa be officially bilingual?
Yes, Ottawa should be officially bilingual. 112 56.00%
No, Ottawa should not be officially bilingual. 63 31.50%
Yes, Gatineau should take the same initiative. 62 31.00%
No, gatineau should not take the same initiative. 17 8.50%
Multiple Choice Poll. Voters: 200. You may not vote on this poll

Reply

 
Thread Tools Display Modes
     
     
  #61  
Old Posted Mar 23, 2015, 4:57 PM
kwoldtimer kwoldtimer is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: La vraie capitale
Posts: 23,446
Quote:
Originally Posted by MonctonRad View Post
Maybe we should just make Moncton the capital of Canada.
We are, as you have said, more organically bilingual than Ottawa is.

I remember once Reader's Digest pointing out that Moncton was the most "Canadian" city in the country (2/3rds anglophone, 1/3rd francophone, Mounties as the municipal police force, more Tim Horton's per capita than anywhere else in the country). Heck, the city even operates it's own maple sugar bush!

Yeah, Moncton as the new national capital! What a great way to stimulate the NB economy!! Lets do it......
One step at a time - it should first be made capital of a new province, the united (and officially bilingual) "Maritimia"!
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #62  
Old Posted Mar 23, 2015, 5:55 PM
Acajack's Avatar
Acajack Acajack is offline
Unapologetic Occidental
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Province 2, Canadian Empire
Posts: 67,664
Quote:
Originally Posted by MonctonRad View Post
Maybe we should just make Moncton the capital of Canada.

We are, as you have said, more organically bilingual than Ottawa is.

I remember once Reader's Digest pointing out that Moncton was the most "Canadian" city in the country (2/3rds anglophone, 1/3rd francophone, Mounties as the municipal police force, more Tim Horton's per capita than anywhere else in the country). Heck, the city even operates it's own maple sugar bush!

Yeah, Moncton as the new national capital! What a great way to stimulate the NB economy!! Lets do it......
Well, you got the first three letters right...
__________________
Amber alerts welcome at any time
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #63  
Old Posted Mar 23, 2015, 6:06 PM
SteelTown's Avatar
SteelTown SteelTown is offline
It's Hammer Time
 
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Hamilton
Posts: 19,870
Ottawa is the national capital so yeah I expect it to be bilingual. Though I'm sure things has drastically improved since the 60's when Ottawa was pretty much all English.

I can't imagine what it would have been like for someone from say Gaspe and no one would provide French language service in the national capital.

Now what about making all Federal service buildings completely accessible?
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #64  
Old Posted Mar 23, 2015, 6:41 PM
YOWflier's Avatar
YOWflier YOWflier is offline
Melissa: fabulous.
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: YOW/CYOW/CUUP
Posts: 2,968
Ottawa is already bilingual in every sense that would truly matter to a unilingual francophone. Only language agitators (i.e. the types that would sue Air Canada for inability to order 7-Up in French) and the unaware/ignorant crusade for this "official" nonsense.

All city services, city signage, city correspondence, etc. is or can be obtained in French. The city even tweets in both languages for crying out loud.

A resounding No to official bilingualism.

Last edited by YOWflier; Mar 23, 2015 at 6:53 PM.
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #65  
Old Posted Mar 23, 2015, 6:47 PM
Acajack's Avatar
Acajack Acajack is offline
Unapologetic Occidental
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Province 2, Canadian Empire
Posts: 67,664
Quote:
Originally Posted by SteelTown View Post
Ottawa is the national capital so yeah I expect it to be bilingual. Though I'm sure things has drastically improved since the 60's when Ottawa was pretty much all English.

I can't imagine what it would have been like for someone from say Gaspe and no one would provide French language service in the national capital.
That's a good question. Certainly for public services (especially federal ones) it is better today. But you don't go to a federal museum or renew your passport every day.

Ottawa in the 1960s had a whole bunch of neighbourhoods that were francophone or at least bilingual in their everyday functioning: Vanier, Overbrook, Lowertown, Sandy Hill, LeBreton Flats, Cyrville, Hintonburg-Mechanicsville...

None of these areas has a very high francophone presence today with the possible exception of Vanier, and even there francophones are in the minority and English is the main language on the streets.

The francophone population of Ottawa is about the same but it is more spread out all over the place, and the non-francophone population has grown a lot.

And also the Gatineau side in Quebec has grown a lot and there is less reason for people from there to cross over to Ottawa for various stuff, which means fewer visible and audible francophone customers for Ottawa businesses.

Service in French in Ottawa is a matter of ''happenstance''. There don't seem to be many businesses who make it a point of offering bilingual service. A number of people in Ottawa are francophone or bilingual anglos, and so if you happen upon one of them, you get served in French. If not, you gotta speak English.

Just as an example: based on a dozen or so visits with my kids I don't think there is a single soul who speaks French at the Apple Store in the Rideau Centre in downtown Ottawa. And Gatineau doesn't have an Apple Store so this is the closest one for us. That store's catchment area includes several hundred thousand francophones, but they don't seem to care about serving them in their language.
__________________
Amber alerts welcome at any time
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #66  
Old Posted Mar 23, 2015, 6:56 PM
Acajack's Avatar
Acajack Acajack is offline
Unapologetic Occidental
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Province 2, Canadian Empire
Posts: 67,664
Quote:
Originally Posted by ac888yow View Post
Ottawa is already bilingual in every sense that would truly matter to a unilingual francophone. Only language agitators (i.e. the types that would sue Air Canada for inability to order 7-Up in French) and the unaware/ignorant crusade for this "official" nonsense.

All city services, city signage, city correspondence, etc. is or can be obtained in French. The city even tweets in both languages for crying oit loud.

A resounding No to official bilingualism.
I'd say this is the majority sentiment in Ottawa and explains the city's reticence to go further towards officialdom.

Now, I won't weigh in on the matter as I consider it to be a municipal matter for the people of Ottawa to decide for themselves, and I don't live there.

Yes, Ottawa is the country's capital but as far as the federal government's services to the public there they are generally good although there are still some problems here and there. But that is not related to the City of Ottawa administration.

BTW, not all bilingual or multilingual countries have their language status reflected in the capital. The Swiss capital is German only.

Brussels is officially bilingual but in everyday life is a French speaking city kind of like Ottawa is an English speaking city.
__________________
Amber alerts welcome at any time
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #67  
Old Posted Mar 23, 2015, 7:15 PM
YOWflier's Avatar
YOWflier YOWflier is offline
Melissa: fabulous.
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: YOW/CYOW/CUUP
Posts: 2,968
I just don't see the need given everything I indicated above. My wife is francophone, as are her parents, and they've had no announced difficulty obtaining municipal service in French since moving here.

For the record, if the city didn't offer municipal service in French, I'd support those calling for it. The fact is, bilingual service does exist already. I'm sure examples of its imperfection can be found, but that's true about anything.

Official bilingualism has the potential to significantly impact private business and I am very concerned about that.
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #68  
Old Posted Mar 23, 2015, 7:44 PM
Acajack's Avatar
Acajack Acajack is offline
Unapologetic Occidental
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Province 2, Canadian Empire
Posts: 67,664
Quote:
Originally Posted by ac888yow View Post
I just don't see the need given everything I indicated above. My wife is francophone, as are her parents, and they've had no announced difficulty obtaining municipal service in French since moving here.

For the record, if the city didn't offer municipal service in French, I'd support those calling for it. The fact is, bilingual service does exist already. I'm sure examples of its imperfection can be found, but that's true about anything.

Official bilingualism has the potential to significantly impact private business and I am very concerned about that.
I am not sure how official municipal bilingualism would impact private business?
__________________
Amber alerts welcome at any time
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #69  
Old Posted Mar 23, 2015, 7:47 PM
Rico Rommheim's Avatar
Rico Rommheim Rico Rommheim is offline
Look at me!
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: City of Bagels
Posts: 13,567
Ottawa a bilingual city? Laughable. I haven't been to any New Brunswick city, but the only truly bilingual city I've ever seen is Montreal. If any city in this country encapsulates the language duality of this country, it is that city.
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #70  
Old Posted Mar 23, 2015, 7:48 PM
kwoldtimer kwoldtimer is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: La vraie capitale
Posts: 23,446
Quote:
Originally Posted by Acajack View Post
I am not sure how official municipal bilingualism would impact private business?
Likewise.
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #71  
Old Posted Mar 23, 2015, 8:02 PM
YOWflier's Avatar
YOWflier YOWflier is offline
Melissa: fabulous.
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: YOW/CYOW/CUUP
Posts: 2,968
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rico Rommheim View Post
Ottawa a bilingual city? Laughable. I haven't been to any New Brunswick city, but the only truly bilingual city I've ever seen is Montreal. If any city in this country encapsulates the language duality of this country, it is that city.
Yeah right. Tell that to a unilingual Anglo trying to decipher highway information signage, for example.
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #72  
Old Posted Mar 23, 2015, 8:11 PM
Rico Rommheim's Avatar
Rico Rommheim Rico Rommheim is offline
Look at me!
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: City of Bagels
Posts: 13,567
Quote:
Originally Posted by ac888yow View Post
Yeah right. Tell that to a unilingual Anglo trying to decipher highway information signage, for example.
That "unilingual" anglo is able to read french, because here he also reads french, because he's bilingual. Duuuuh.
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #73  
Old Posted Mar 23, 2015, 8:14 PM
YOWflier's Avatar
YOWflier YOWflier is offline
Melissa: fabulous.
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: YOW/CYOW/CUUP
Posts: 2,968
You have an interesting understanding of what unilingual means. No further discussion necessary.
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #74  
Old Posted Mar 23, 2015, 8:21 PM
Rico Rommheim's Avatar
Rico Rommheim Rico Rommheim is offline
Look at me!
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: City of Bagels
Posts: 13,567
You didn't get it, so yeah. Forget it.
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #75  
Old Posted Mar 23, 2015, 8:23 PM
YOWflier's Avatar
YOWflier YOWflier is offline
Melissa: fabulous.
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: YOW/CYOW/CUUP
Posts: 2,968
Actually, you'd be astounded at how much I "got" from that post.
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #76  
Old Posted Mar 23, 2015, 8:24 PM
GreaterMontréal's Avatar
GreaterMontréal GreaterMontréal is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 4,575
Quote:
Originally Posted by ac888yow View Post
You have an interesting understanding of what unilingual means. No further discussion necessary.
if you live in Quebec and you have difficulties decipher highway information signage, you have a problem.

ouest - west
est - east
nord - north
sud - south

boul. - boul.
rue - street

what is the problem ?
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #77  
Old Posted Mar 23, 2015, 8:26 PM
1overcosc's Avatar
1overcosc 1overcosc is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Kingston, Ontario
Posts: 11,438
The point ac is trying to make is that it's hard to say that a city is a true reflection of bilingualism when its highway signage is only in one language.
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #78  
Old Posted Mar 23, 2015, 8:28 PM
YOWflier's Avatar
YOWflier YOWflier is offline
Melissa: fabulous.
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: YOW/CYOW/CUUP
Posts: 2,968
^ At least one person gets it. And that was just one example.
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #79  
Old Posted Mar 23, 2015, 8:35 PM
GreaterMontréal's Avatar
GreaterMontréal GreaterMontréal is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 4,575
Quote:
Originally Posted by 1overcosc View Post
The point ac is trying to make is that it's hard to say that a city is a true reflection of bilingualism when its highway signage is only in one language.
It's probably because french is the only official language, but 80%+ of anglophones in Montréal, age 15-24yo, are bilingual. Quebec is the most bilingual province, with 42%.
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #80  
Old Posted Mar 23, 2015, 8:43 PM
kwoldtimer kwoldtimer is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: La vraie capitale
Posts: 23,446
Quote:
Originally Posted by GreaterMontréal View Post
It's probably because french is the only official language, but 80%+ of anglophones in Montréal, age 15-24yo, are bilingual. Quebec is the most bilingual province, with 42%.
As are about half of francophone Montrealers and about two thirds of allophones in that age group, no? Plus, I suspect that "bilingual" is interpreted more rigorously in Montreal than it is in much of the rest of Canada. It is Canada's most functionally bilingual city.
Reply With Quote
     
     
This discussion thread continues

Use the page links to the lower-right to go to the next page for additional posts
 
 
Reply

Go Back   SkyscraperPage Forum > Regional Sections > Canada
Forum Jump


Thread Tools
Display Modes

Forum Jump


All times are GMT. The time now is 8:47 AM.

     
SkyscraperPage.com - Archive - Privacy Statement - Top

Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.