The cost of bilingualism

The Telegraph Journal, a newspaper based in Saint John, New Brunswick, recently printed a letter from a person who was identified as D.V. Wilcox from Saint John. See the letter here: http://telegraphjournal.canadaeast.com/opinion/article/1089906. The heading to the letter was Bilingualism seems to be costly. You will see portions of that person’s letter along with my quick concise replies.

First, just how much does this social experiment cost the province of New Brunswick? Is it really as important as the many other things that have to be paid for? Does Quebec give English equal treatment?

• Social experiment? Who’s conducting it?

• How much does it cost? It depends on how you calculate that. The bulk of bilingualism costs would come from translation and interpretation. I’m told the cost is about twenty-two cents per written word and $500 a day per interpreter, not counting the equipment needed for this work. I’m not counting the French schools because even if they didn’t exist, we’d still need teachers and schools to teach English to the French.

• Well, I think it’s as important as many other things, but what do I know?

• Of course not! We’re better than Quebec!

I know that French is taught in schools. However, just how many students have the ability to speak French at the time they graduate?

• All the people who graduate from French schools speak French quite well.

French is not a widely used language so if you don't live in Quebec, northern New Brunswick or France, where do you use it?

• At last count, the World Francophonie Organisation included 56 member states and governments, three associate members, and 14 observers, according to Wikipedia.

Requiring so many things to be printed in French and English must add an expense to these products that we all have to pay. Is it really necessary?

• The more we write, the higher the costs. Then again, we could just do more electronically.

Someone proposed that all Supreme Court justices be bilingual. Wouldn't that exclude many qualified unilingual candidates?

• Of course unilingual candidates would be excluded. It’s in the definition.

Many jobs in the province are open only to bilingual candidates. The amount of French used in some of these jobs is often very little. Is this the right thing to do or is it discrimination?

• Don’t you mean many GOVERNMENT jobs? Most private companies don’t have to worry about bilingualism.

Why do legal court documents have to be sent to Halifax for translation to French? Who has to pay for this added expense? Couldn't it be done in N.B.?

• Court documents don’t have to be sent to Halifax for translation unless there is a directive to do so. If it doesn’t make sense, maybe someone should point that out.

I'd love to be bilingual. However, when I read how wonderful bilingualism is, the items I noted come to mind.

• Well, I’m glad to hear that you’d at least love to be bilingual.

It would appear this impacts in a negative way on English Canadians. We don't like to talk about such things but do they not exist?

• The only way this could have an impact on English Canadians is if English Canadians enjoy advantages that the French don’t. If this is not the case, then the English have nothing to fear.