From: John Wood
To: Sen. Jean-Robert Gauthier
Cc: Rt. Hon. Paul Martin ; Letters Ottawa Citizen
Sent: Saturday, August 28, 2004 9:57 PM
Subject: Forced Bilingualism in Ottawa

Dear Senator Gauthier,

Once again the pronouncementsby members of the Red Chamber ignore the concerns and rights of the majority ofcitizens --- we English-speaking Canadians. Your rantings about tolerance and respect in linguistic matters is pure nonsense. Have you not more important nationalissues to concern yourself with? Respect has to be earned, sir, and you haven't earned it from me! My tolerance for your eternal French haranguing isnear the limit.

Please stop meddling in the affairs of private enterprise. Try letting the market determine what language is to be used. Official Bilingualism is NOT the 'law of the land'.Try reading the Act in English, instead of your French-biased version and you may find that it applies only to the Parliament of Canadaand its extensions, and federal courts. The rest of Canada is effected only by French-biasedJesters of those Courts. The National Capital Region is notofficially bilingual just because you say so!

Official bilingualism in Ottawa should be reflective of its population, where only 15.5%are French. Federal services in French should be reflective of that fact and LIMITEDto that extent. The National Capital Region also includesthe city of Hull, or as you French claim Gatineau, Quebec. Until the day that Hull becomes officially bilingual to the sameextent that you want Ottawa to be,you have no rightto demand Ottawa,or any other Anglophone city in Canada, become bilingual or to provide provincial or municipal services in French.There is no unity in the double standard that you and your fellow Parliamentarians are a party to in this war of languages.

Furthermore, the language used in theprivate businesssector is none of your business! Stick to the important national issues of the day, such as proper funding of the health care system that your Liberal governments gutted, education (in English) in all provinces including Quebec, and modernization of the Canadian Forces. When I see you doing something useful for a change then you may earn some respect.

Meantime, French cannot and never will be equal to English, regardless of any Frenchified Constitution or Charter of (fewer) Rights and (limited) Freedoms, or Court rulings by more French Jesters, or any ill-conceived legislation that comes out of our French controlled, French dominated Parliament. No other western nation has such draconian language laws. No other western nation has a language police force with a 'chief' that spendsour tax dollars looking for ways toforce Frenchwhere it's not wanted. No other western nation has a government Ministry dedicated to force a minoritylanguage (French)on the majority of its citizens. 'Only in Canada you say? A Pity!'

What convinces some French Canadians that the right is theirs inherently is the same arrogance and related insolence, deliberate or unintended, that marks their ancestral race in Europe. And that is exactly what prevents Canadians from being equal with each other and keeps the country divided.

By the way, sir, I want you to know that I am not 'anti-French', any more than you or your fellow French-speakers are 'anti-English'. Think about it!
Call Me Canadian!

J. M. Wood