My friends and I suffered a major disappointment before the start of the Argentina-Canada game at the Americas Cup last Tuesday. Indeed, the national anthem was sung only in English! It ruined the show. Hundreds of millions of people watched this game, mostly Canadian and Quebec viewers. As for the French speakers who paid top dollar for tickets and traveled to New Jersey to support their heroes in person, they must have blushed with shame.
After three terms in office during which there have been more than one scandal concerning communications in French, for example many times at Air Canada or when the president of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Francophonie, Francis Drouin, MP for Glengarry-Prescott-Russell, called two witnesses in committee “full of shit” and “extremists” because they said that anglicization in Quebec had a link with studies in English. It is clear that things are not going well when it comes to respect for French in Canada.
A simple memo from you, Mr. Prime Minister, from the Minister of Finance, Ms.me Chrystia Freeland, or the Minister of Official Languages, Mr. Randy Boissonnault, saying that funding would be compromised if there was a lack of equity for the French language in communications was clearly not sent. This should have been done ages ago! Did no one think to tell the leaders of Canada Soccer to ensure that Canada’s national anthem would be performed in French and English? […] When you have the will, you are not powerless with international bodies like the Copa America, as evidenced by the demands for more Canadian content on major entertainment broadcasters, there is no excuse there.
At the Olympics in Paris in ten days or at the Bell Centre, will you dare demand that the Canadian anthem be performed only in French? I challenge you, Mr. Trudeau.
After three terms, there is no excuse, Mr. Trudeau, you have not done what you could have for French in Canada.
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