Canada is the second largest country in the world and covers almost 10 million square kilometers. Three oceans border the country’s borders: The Pacific Ocean to the west, the Atlantic Ocean to the east and the Arctic Ocean to the north. It is a bilingual country and its population is around 36 million. This gigantic country (second only to Russia) has 10 provinces and 3 territories. However, only the province of New Brunswick is bilingual. Quebec (the largest province in the country) is the only province where French is the official language. English dominates everywhere else. To accommodate Quebec with its French language and culture, in 1969 the federal parliament passed the Official Languages Act, which established French and English as the official languages of Canada. In accordance with this law, all federal institutions must provide services in English or French depending on demand. This act also created the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages (now the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages), which is responsible for overseeing its application. It aims, among other things, to ensure respect for French and English, their equality of status and equal rights and privileges as to their use in federal institutions.
Linguistic Offenses of the Canadian Embassy in Senegal.
You will see below the automatic message I received from this institution in August 2016. You will judge for yourself the quality of French.
Envoyé : 12 août 2016 13:43
À : [email protected]
Objet : RE: TR: Les autorités de l’ambassade du Canada au Sénégal anéantissent l’espoir des populations très démunies (femmes et autres) dans le village de Montréal au Sénégal et ses alentours. – CONFIRMATION
—– Original Message to DAKAR (DR) /Message d’origine à DAKAR (DR) —–
Thank you for your message which will be forwarded to the appropriate division at Headquarters or Missions abroad.
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Nous avons bien reçu votre message qui sera transmis la direction appropriée l’Administration centrale ou dans les missions l’étranger.  Dégagement de
Disclaimer:Â http://www.international.gc.ca/international/disclaimer-degagement.aspx?lang=eng
This response from our embassy is written correctly in English, then in French with many mistakes. Which means that there is discriminatory treatment between the two official languages. As a result, the official language of the province of Quebec has no respect. The equality of status and equal rights and privileges of the two languages are totally absent. French is slaughtered, tortured and humiliated and despised especially in a French-speaking country. English is downright privileged in this answer. In addition, it is a response from a Canadian embassy that is not any institution either. This answer has already circulated around the world. Are not the authorities of this embassy ashamed to be ridiculed by their fellow diplomats from other countries or by providers who read these aberrations? I have the impression that we are dealing with linguistic “je-mens-foutisme”. Her Excellency, Lise Filiatrault, Canada’s ambassador to Senghor’s country (Senegal’s first president) has not yet reacted publicly. It’s the complete radio silence. What is its share of responsibility in the mistreatment of the French language? What does it do for the respect of the official language of Quebec? We must still ask questions as a citizen concerned about the respect of our common language, which is French. In my opinion, she should apologize to the people of Quebec in particular and to francophone in general, for the fate of French in this institution of which she is one of the authorities.
The official languages commissioner and the office of a federal member of Parliament have already contacted our embassy in Senegal to correct these errors or linguistic aberrations. But nothing has been done to the latest news.
On the other hand, the message we receive from the Canadian embassy in France is at the bottom
“THIS IS AN AUTOMATED MESSAGE / DO NOT ANSWER
La boîte est surveillée 24/7. Seulement les messages de, ou concernant des citoyens canadiens à l’étranger nécessitant des services consulaires d’urgence obtiendront une réponse. Nous ne répondrons pas aux questions concernant les visas, les réfugiés et l’immigration. »
We can say that the quality of French is impeccable. And why this treatment different from French in 2 French-speaking countries?
The incompetence of our diplomatic mission is well established. Canadian cooperation is currently known for its broken promise in the village of Montreal in Senegal. This is the first to hear that a Western embassy is making a false promise to the poor and poor. Our diplomacy broke through the rubric and became devious and ridiculous. Most foreign diplomats pay attention to their reputation for the respect of their countries and peoples. Our embassy is a temple of lies that tarnishes its people (Canadians and Quebecers). It cannot in any way defend our interests in this country. It’s a cursed house.
The decline of French in the world.
I do not want to be pessimistic, but the situation of French in the world is on a downward trend compared to other growing languages such as English. This is not what we want but the report is there and it is without appeal. Francophone would be even partly responsible for this tumble of the beautiful and pleasant language of Molière. Some of them favor their economic interests in business or other decisions, to the detriment of their linguistic interests when it is possible to make choices that combine the two.
Quebec is a land of absence of real integration policies for immigrants. The representation rate of minorities in certain state institutions (4% at Hydro-Québec, 0.5% at the Sureté du Québec) is ridiculously low and systemically discriminatory. In fact, it is the minority of Francophones holding economic power who refuse to give a little space to newcomers and at the same time accuse them of not wanting to integrate. Many francophone immigrants would like to integrate well and contribute to the development of French, but they are continually rejected and frustrated. However, the quality of French of these Francophone immigrants is far superior to the native ones (French-speaking Quebecers speaking in French-English) of the beautiful province. The greed and greed of these business people who only promote their native compatriots, slow down the development of French. How would you like such a newcomer to vote for the independence of Quebec or support the cause the French language that does not bring him the bread and butter on his dining table? So these newcomers are tormenting other non-francophone employers who offer them jobs and they end up integrating with these funds. Yet we know for a fact that Quebecers are generous and welcoming and many of them see this situation as an injustice. Quebec’s challenge is to integrate immigrants, as Ms. Manon Massé of QS recognized during the last televised debate. Some politicians may want to institute integration programs for newcomers, but they are afraid that the white francophone electorate will turn their backs on them and accuse them of being unionists for the causes of minorities.
In Europe, English is still imposing itself and is becoming more and more established in the former countries of the Eastern bloc which was under the yoke of the Soviet Union. The diktat of blooming affairs requires Europeans to turn to other languages such as Chinese (Mandarin or Cantonese), Arabic, German and Russian. The decline of France in the world economic ranking has contributed to the abandonment of French on the old continent.
In Africa, the behavior of Canada and France does not make humanity. These countries are criticized for having colonialist aims. Not to mention the unclear role that France and Canada played in the Rwandan genocide because it was a Canadian general who led the UN forces during this dark period? And what did Canada and France do to avoid this human tragedy? Do not ask Rwandans what to have rejected this French language? Offering them the Francophonie on a silver platter, would not change their attitude because the damage is already done. Also, the national languages take over and impose themselves in all the media. Africans are increasingly attracted by the United States and China. The French language is increasingly relegated to third place or fourth place. The interest in this delicious language goes unnoticed especially for young people who want to immigrate and they know that the United States is the best place when we do not speak French in this country. Moreover, American cooperation is more present and better seen even in French-speaking countries.
What to do?
In the end I will end with the International Organization of La Francophonie. She must support French everywhere around the world. It must also help to fight against gross human rights violations, especially in the French-speaking countries where fierce dictatorships still cause a lot of victims. It must help end wars like in Mali where Canada and France are heavily engaged to the detriment of the interests of the people. It would be necessary to reconquer the bruised hearts of Africans who represent more than 60% of Francophone to advance French in the world.
Gondiel Ka
Montreal, Canada
Chronicler
Expertise Africa Canada relationship