Jan Harder: "Less than desirable."

The city of Ottawa is Canada's capital. It's my understanding that my country - Canada - is officially bilingual. Every once in a while when I try to speak to a City of Ottawa employee in French, it's not possible to do so and I am given the choice to wait until a bilingual staff member is available or to switch to English. I believe that no Anglophone resident has ever had to deal with a situation where service is not available in their language of expression.

It doesn't anger me when the above occasionally happens; I recognize that Francophones are in the minority in Ottawa, certainly less than 50% of the population.

What does infuriates me are the constant bilious invectives and accusations from those who somehow feel persecuted or disenfranchised or deprived of ... something, because the city tries to live up to a national standard of bilingualism and biculturalism.

Ottawa councillor Clive Doucet responded to yet another screeching eruption from French-hater councillor Jan Harder, with regard to a bilingualism requirement for staffing two important management positions for the city:

"What's happened is it's limiting the job pool. And there's no question about it," Jan Harder, councillor for Barrhaven, said Tuesday. "People are being very honest in telling me that." Harder alleged that few candidates are applying and those who do are "less than desirable."

Doucet said that Harder's comments were "a bit insulting".

There's an understatement. But I think that Francophones might want to approach Harder with a different kind of energy, in order to deflect the hatefulness of her discourse. Perhaps a nice, juicy French kiss could be planted on her every time she opens her mouth to trash bilingualism?

I'd volunteer but she's so NOT my type.

Update: And just in time, the annual report from the French Language Services Commissioner:

“Integrating and offering French-language services are not some forms of special treatment. It is an obligation under the French Language Services Act. French-language services must be depoliticized and the funding allocated to these services must be protected from political influence and budget fluctuations,” stated Mr. Boileau. ...

Furthermore, the financial and human resources allocated to French-language services are not adequate, yet the need for these services continues to grow and is more urgent than ever.

This has a direct impact on the ability of the Office of the French Language Services Commissioner to deal with an ever-increasing number of complaints. In 2008-2009, the Office recorded 304 complaints — seven times the number reported in its first annual report released last year.

“It is becoming impossible to do more with less, and the quality of the services being delivered to the public is suffering as a result. The government must ensure that it offers services that meet the needs of Francophones. The vitality, development, and survival of Ontario’s Francophone communities depend upon
these services,” added the Commissioner.

Oh to be a fly on the wall to hear what Harder will shriek about Boileau's report.