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Letter to the Editor
The Ottawa Citizen
1101 Baxter Road
Ottawa, Ontario, K2C 3M4
Ottawa, February 4th 2003
Re: Bilingual city meetings bridge a gap
Dear Editor,
It appears that some Ottawa City Council members were taken aback
at my preference for bilingual public meetings as opposed to
meetings held solely in French.
The option of holding public meetings exclusively in English or in
French would widen the breach between our two most significant
cultural communities when we should be making every effort to
bridge the gap. Ottawa's francophones live throughout the capital
from Goulbourn to Cumberland. That is one of the reasons the City
of Ottawa's official language policy requires provision of
services in both languages throughout its territory.
It would be the height of insolence for any citizen to be called
to order during a public meeting and to be reminded that questions
and comments in one of the official languages should be reserved
for the appropriate unilingual meeting. I question whether this
"separatist" approach is really in anyone's best interest. I fear
for our society should this model be adopted as the norm.
A "well organized" meeting is conducted efficiently, involves no
repetition and is no loss of time. Staff can make a verbal
presentation, alternating between both official languages without
repetition, while projecting transparencies on two screens in
English and in French.
This approach, which I have tested at public meetings in my ward,
functions smoothly and is of benefit to all parties. Everybody
receives the same information and has equal opportunities to take
part in discussions in their preferred official language. This
allows for a bilingual meeting where all in attendance are at
ease; one that is no more time-consuming than a unilingual
gathering. This is truly diversity at its best.
The issue will be discussed at the French Language Services
Advisory Committee meeting tonight at 7 o'clock, at Ottawa City
Hall, Champlain Room. Citizens can attend or comment by e-mail at
diane.blais@ottawa.ca .
Jacques Legendre,
Rideau-Rockcliffe Councillor
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