After 54 years of official bilingualism, English-speaking Canadians still show indifference towards French, according to a recent federal study.. French language textbook .According to Blacklock’s Reporter, the study reveals that a majority of individuals in British Columbia and Alberta stated that they did not know any French person..“Being interested in cultural products in the other official language is higher in the eastern part of the country than in the West, from lows of 23% in Manitoba and Saskatchewan to 24% in Alberta, 29% in British Columbia, 35% in Ontario, 37% in the Atlantic region and 62% in Québec,” said a department of Canadian Heritage report..Less than a third of English speakers, 31%, said they were interested in French movies or music. Only 16% said they “had a basic knowledge of French, enough to understand in routine situations” like ordering a meal in a restaurant. Just 4% said they had attended a cultural event in French..Nationwide 44% of English speakers said they had no contact whatsoever with francophones and did not count French speakers among their “friends, neighbours, relatives or co-workers.” The rate was 51% in British Columbia and Alberta. Researchers said British Columbians and Albertans were also more likely to say they’d sooner learn Spanish than French..“Positive statements about bilingualism are higher among those living in the eastern part of the country than in the West,” said the Study on the Appreciation and Perception of Canada’s Official Languages report..The study by Environics Research Group, which cost $101,983, relied on questionnaires completed by 5,020 individuals across the country..Asked if they agreed with the statement, “The fact there are two official languages in Canada is, for me, an important part of what it means to be Canadian,” 49% of English speakers agreed. The rate was 76% for French speakers.. BilingualismBilingualism .Asked if they agreed, “Relationships between francophones and anglophones are more positive than they were 10 years ago,” 40% of English speakers agreed. The rate was 49% for French speakers..Asked if they agreed with the statement, “The future of French in Canada is threatened,” 30% of English speakers agreed. The rate was 83% for francophones..The release of the data follows a cabinet proposal to mandate “equality of status and use of English and French in Canadian society” under Bill C-13 An Act to Amend the Official Languages Act..Since the introduction of the Act in 1969, this is the first bill mandating the use of French in the federally regulated private sector in regions with a “strong francophone presence,” a term that remains undefined.
